Fragment Isah 1

DR.ISAH'S LEGACY

(Galactic Chronicles : Stories of the Galaxy) by Vanessa Ravencroft © 2012

It is the year 5034,OTT. The war against the Shiss is drawing to a close in the Upward/ Coreward area of the Milky-way Galaxy. It is often called the Forgotten or Ignored War as very few still talk about it. The head lines created by that war had moved to the 2000 range of GalNet Channels. When a Union Citizen says a topic has moved beyond the 2000 range, it means it is discussed and reported about on GalNet Channels 2001 and up. It is where the expert, education, ,local and public broadcast channels were. Nothing really important, no Union wide topic was ever discussed or featured on any GalNet Channel beyond the 2000 mark. The mighty Shiss Empire had been reduced form thousands of star systems to a few hundred and the end was near. Union Military wasn't in a hurry and used the Shiss war as a convenient way to train troops, test new equipment and try out new tactics and strategies. The Galacto-Political equilibrium of the Big Four no longer existed. The Armistice and the Free Space Treaty signed by the Big Four and the 72 Free Space Civilizations had been seen as a stabilizing factor and the reason for a long period of peace. The Big Four carefully watching each other, the Big Four being the The Nul, the Shiss, the Union and the Galactic Council (Kermac) dissolved.

--””--

New Cambridge had been colonized now for over 2000 years. The Planet was not far from Blue Moon and classified as a Garden World. It deserved that classification like few other worlds. As it was deep green with forests, grassy planes fresh water and deep oceans. Local life was abundant but nothing was really dangerous to human life. The world was famous for its long fall and winter seasons. The original Colonists were well aware of the beauty of their world and placed many restrictions on what Industries they allowed and while they did harvest many different nature products they imposed quotas and invested in efficient modern farming methods. It is a pleasant sophisticated world with a bustling metropolis called Camelot.

Two thousand years is a long time in human terms and enough time to create traditions and reputations. Camelot was home to an University and students from all over the Union came to add this prestigious name to their education resumes. Several private and semi private Technology Institutes kept a major presence here, adding to the scholary and scientific character of this old Colony. It was pure coincidence that the Seasons of New Cambridge, fell on similar dates as those on Earth. So it was no suprise that the cold winds of the immense praries to the east carried snow into the city just as the old Calender turned to December. This was the reason the eastern part of the city was called the Windgate District. There not far from the outskirts of town among similar industrial buildings was the headquarters of a small technology development company called C.I.T Inc.soley owned by Dr. Clyde Isah, 104th generations removed from perhaps the greatest genius of human kind, Dr.Isah. Like his ancestor Clyde was a genius and successful inventor. Perhaps his inventions weren't as profound and did not have the same society changing impact as those of Dr.Isah, but his developments were still worth many millons of credits and C.I.T was a successful defense contractor. Dr. Clyde Isah was a tall and thin man of ninety-five years. He did not care enough about his appearance to do anything about the gray hair that slowly turned to white and like his famous ancestor he was considered a genius and successful inventor. He was a man capable of sudden fits of anger which he almost immideaetly forgets. As usual he was utterly absorbed in what he was doing. Working in the basement of his company where he had his personal workshop. It was a curious mix of the latest nano assemblers, old fashioned tools, laboratory glass ware and odds and ends of alien tech artifacts he collected. Local rumors claimed that he had one of the most valuable collections of working alien Artifacts, worth over a billion credits. He was sitting on a large desk in his work shop littered with PDDs. film and paper print outs, modern magazines and old fashioned books. In between tools, measuring devices and writing utensils, A Serv Matic that truly belonged into a Museum as it had made the trip form Earth aboard the Colonist Arks, still worked and happily produced the ocational puff of steam right, served tea and tea only. It once supposed to be able to serve coffee and even something called Ovaltine. It still had the coresponding buttons but they had quit working about 500 years before it found its way into Clyde's study. Someone had claimed it belonged to Dr. Isah himself and that is why a friend had purchased it in the first place. That Dr.Isah only drank Carrot Juice and Carrot juice only was of course the reason this machine could not have been owned by the legendary original Dr. Isah. On the left side of his work table stood a dark colored cylinder, marked with strange symbols, alien writing in a language no linguistic expert in the Union could classify. Sure they helped him translate it and he knew what it said, but no one really knew the civilization it came from.

soft touch gloves and before him on a raised force field plat form floated an unusal object. It had two glass lenses mounted in a metal frame. It was shaped exactly like the Sunglasses, Terrans liked to wear but the glasses were not dark but were actual convex shaped lenses. These were the glasses of Dr. Isah. But for what purpose he had yet to understand. Clyde was wearing a science council overcoat, completley worn out but he refused to have it replaced. He said it took him a very long time to get it to fit just right. His study was located in the basement of the historical faculty and down here he had his peace and quitet at least most of the time.

working on a delicately-wired part which has to do with a new form of combustion engine that he has invented. (Through the entire scene, from the first shadow effect, we hear the engine in operation as he is working over it.) Wynant is dressed in overalls, and possibly a long shade over his eyes. The shop itself is in the base- ment of a small warehouse building, in the thir- ties between First Avenue and the East River, in New York. It is a long and narrow machine shop, full of interest and character in its mechanical layout. Miniatures of engine-models of various kinds -- vats of molten lead -- car- bon racks -- welding instruments -- delicate light bulbs, and such other apparatus as com- poses a combination shop and laboratory of this machine type. WE HOLD A MOMENT on Wynant in the midst of an experiment over the combustion engine. Then from the background a workman named Tom, also dressed in overalls, a man of about thirty-five, comes in from an adjoining shop. He comes toward Wynant.

Tom (hesitant -- in a mild tone) Your daughter's here, Mr. Wynant. (then, as Wynant doesn't seem to hear him, he speaks louder) Mr. Wynant!

Wynant, startled out of his absorption, drops a delicate piece of metal (or whatever fragile wiring or part he would be holding), and turns furiously on Tom.

Wynant Haven't you any more sense than to shout at me like that!

Tom I'm sorry... but...

Wynant (picking up the little piece -- its edges are spoiled) Two weeks work gone for nothing.

Tom I just wanted to tell you...

Wynant (interrupting) I don't care what you wanted to tell me. You're through! Get your things and get out!

The workman shrugs his shoulders and starts away. WE PAN Wynant to a bench on which there are several acetylene torches. He is examining the part as he goes, muttering and growling to himself.

Wynant It's a good thing I'm going away -- no peace -- no quiet. Everybody interrupting me --

2  PANNING SHOT -- DOOR TO SHOP.

DOROTHY WYNANT comes to the door and looks in. Tom is seen taking off his overalls, prepara- tory to leaving.

Dorothy Can we come in?

Tom looks up as she speaks to him.

Dorothy Did you tell him?

Tom Sorry, Miss Wynant. He didn't give me a chance.

Dorothy comes in, followed by ANDREW READE. She is a young girl of about twenty-one, spirited and high-tempered like her father. She has great natural beauty and distinction ... the crisp pro- duct of a strict finishing school. She is dressed in smart, simple street dress, with a fur coat over it.

Andrew Reade is a good-looking boy fresh from college. He gives an impression of reliability and common sense. CAMERA PANS WITH THEM as they go toward the workbench and Wynant.

Dorothy Dad!

Wynant straightens up, and as he looks and sees that it is his daughter, his whole expression changes. He forgets his anger. he is delighted to see her.

Wynant Why didn't they tell me you were here?

Dorothy kisses him.

Dorothy I'm sorry to interrupt your work, but this is impor- tant.

Wynant looks over at Andrew standing behind Dorothy. Andrew smiles at him.

Andrew How are you?

Wynant (to Dorothy - as he turns off the combustion engine) Another young man.

Andrew It's the same one.

Dorothy (as if she were speaking to a child who didn't remember his lessons) It's been the same one for three months.

Wynant Forgive me. (he shakes Andrew's hand) How are you? Dorothy Take a good look at him, Dad. (Wynant looks at Andrew and smiles) Now please try to remember him... 'cause he's going to be your son-in-law.

Wynant's look changes to one of serious interest.

Wynant (surprised) Well!

Andrew (to Wynant -- feeling that Dorothy has spoken too bluntly) That is, if it's all right with you.

Wynant And if it isn't?

Dorothy (to the front!) He'll still be your son-in-law!

Wynant (to Andrew, with humor) You see how much we have to say.

Dorothy (puts her hand on her father's