Project Black Rock
I couldn't believe that there were no Supercar stories listed here. Well maybe this one will be the first, and it's a crossover to boot. Supercar came out on American TV a few years before Astro Boy did, but both shows are ingrained in the same era, more or less. I grew up with both of them.
Part 1: Hello old friend!
Mike Mercury walked through the Air & Space section of the Smithsonian museum. Hanging from the ceiling, or sitting atop pedestals, were many famous historical aircraft. Some were accurate reproductions constructed from actual blueprints, or from data carefully reconstructed from photographs. Others were actual examples of the aircraft, in some cases they were the only surviving examples of that specific design. Mike took his time to examine each of the exhibits on display. He walked slowly with the aid of a cane. Mike looked at his watch, he had enough time to leisurely stroll to his destination.
As he entered the next wing of the museum, he could see it in the distance. Hanging from the ceiling by strong, transparent cables, it was presented in a climbing attitude at a high angle of attack. The spotlights caught its distinctive red and silver-white with yellow trim paint job, still looking fresh after over half a century. Mike walked slowly toward the far end of the building, stopping often to look at another exhibit and catch his breath.
Mike looked up. Sitting in the cockpit of the aircraft was a dummy with his hands on the control yoke. The manikin looked almost like the 50 year old photograph that was attached to the information plaque on a stand just under the hanging exhibit. A photograph of Mike Mercury in his early twenty's. Of course Supercar was much more than an airplane. Part automobile (in hover mode), part submarine, part aircraft, part single-stage-to-orbit space ship, it had been far ahead of it's time. It still was.
Mike imagined himself behind the yoke in Supercar's cockpit. He reached for the throttle in the air and the memories flooded back to him. He could feel the acceleration and the G force of a seventy degree banked turn in a climb at Mach 1. He also remembered his friends. Rudolph Popkiss, had been dead for well over thirty years now, Horatio Beaker had departed the earth almost twenty five years ago. Jimmy Gibson was still alive, now just retired from NASA. He hadn't seen the old girl in over half a century now. This was the first time he'd ever been in the Smithsonian, Mike wondered why he'd never thought of visiting his old flame.
"You still think you could fly her?"
Mike was snapped back to reality by the voice coming from behind him. He turned to look at the face of a short, somewhat plumb, elder man, with a large nose and puffs of white hair on the sides of his head. The gentleman spoke in English with a thick Japanese accent.
"Professor Ochanomizu?" Mike asked.
"Yes, that's me." The man answered. "Few Americans seem able to pronounce my family name and prefer to call me by the title given to me by your state department."
"That's disrespectful." Mike replied. "Dr. O'Shay indeed!"
"So?" Ochanomizu asked again. "Do you think you could still fly her at your age?"
"Of course!" Mike snapped back. "Chuck Yeager was still flying supersonic jets at my age, and I'm every bit the pilot he was! It's too bad she's not airworthy anymore. Supercar's design was years ahead of the technology at the time. After its designers passed away, nobody could figure out how to manufacture replacement parts for her. Popkiss and Beaker's design notes were lost in a fire out at Blackrock years ago. For the life of me I don't know why the documents were never copied and backed up someplace."
"That's why we need your help." Ochanomizu replied. "You may not have all of the fine details in your head, but you and Mr. Gibson might be able to help us figure some more of it out. The American government and the Smithsonian institution have agreed to lend us Supercar long enough to study it and try to recover its technology."
"Us?" Mike asked.
"The Japanese Institute of Science." Ochanomizu explained. "Our two countries seem to have found themselves in a predicament that requires us to work together. Supercar might provide a possible solution. Mr. Gibson is already in Japan as we speak, along with a few NASA engineers that he recommended. With any luck, your Supercar will be readied for transport by the end of the day."
"How is she to get there?" Mike asked.
"The US Air Force suggested just putting her into a super transport aircraft, she would fit in one of those easily." Ochanomizu said. "A bit of a waste of fuel however, and the logistics would take a week or more to work out though. That's why I asked if you felt up to the task of flying her. Or at least sitting in the cockpit."
"You do realize that Supercar's engines haven't been fired up in over twenty years because they no longer operate." Mike said.
"I'm aware of that." Ochanomizu said. "But she could be towed in flight. Or perhaps pushed."
"By what?" Mike asked.
"Me!" The voice belonged to a small figure who had suddenly appeared from behind the old man. Standing a head shorter than Ochanomizu, the boy like being was dressed in short black pants, a blue shirt, and red boots. His black hair sported two star like cowlicks, Mike's gaze was caught by his large brown eyes.
"Let me introduce you to Atom." Ochanomizu said. "While he does resemble a nine year old boy, he is really a robot with some unique abilities."
"I think I've heard of him." Mike said. "My Air Force buddies leaked some classified information to me a while back about some robot that was code named 'Astro Boy', the result of some top secret 'Project Atom' in Japan."
"That would be me." Atom said extending his hand to Mike, who shook it.
"Glad to meet you in the flesh, sort of, Atom." Mike said.
"Then I think we should get ready," Ochanomizu said. "How long will it take you to pack?"
"I can be ready by tomorrow morning." Mike answered.
"Excellent!" Ochanomize replied. "With any luck the museum will be able to release your old friend from her display position by then, and we can be on our way to Japan."