again, sorry for the inconsistency in the time between updates. even though it's the holidays for me right now, a combination of things makes it difficult just to get on with this. apologies in advance for anyone expecting to see lots of technical terms; i'm not brave enough to try and use them. science is alomst a foreign language to me. ironic, really. both my parents are chemist...
anyways, enjoy!
Ch. 4
John debated with himself for a while that evening as he got ready for bed. Eventually, he decided he'd go to the bookstore in the morning and see if Maria was there. Maybe ask her out for lunch... Then, since she'd have to go back to work, he could look in at Brains' conference.
That decided, he smiled and settled down, reaching for his notebook and scribbling a few ideas for his next book.
TB
Brains was also scribbling ideas in a notebook. These, however, referred to a presentation he was expected to give regarding his latest project, Skythrust. The plane's maiden flight had been a huge success despite the hijackers, and he was expected to tell his fellow scientists a little about the process that went into planning and developing the safety feature, along with one or two other things he'd worked on.
He tapped his pen on the paper, trying to figure out what else to write. He had written something out earlier in the week, but he appeared to have forgotten it. He had a power point presentation, but fortunately it was on his laptop. The notes, however, were hand-written. John had suggested that Brains got one of the Tracys to type it up and send it to him, but Brains just showed him some of the notes in his notebook to remind the space monitor how illegible his writing was to anyone else.
Truth be told, Brains wasn't looking forward to this conference so much anymore. He despised any form of public speaking, since the stares from his audience always made his stutter worse. And with the likes of Meyer there, Brains was sure his stutter would be particularly spectacular.
He cast another glance over the list of names attending, and their fields of expertise. There was someone from Jodrell Bank coming, a C. E. MacLeod. Brains made a mental note to tell John.
He looked again at the clock on the desk in his hotel room, sighing. It was now a quarter to eleven and he still had a lot to write. Rubbing his eyes wearily beneath his glasses he carried on.
TB
John smiled as he entered the bookstore. He could see Maria stacking shelves in the teenage section, and headed straight for her... at least, as straightly as he could with all the boxes dotted around the shelves. He caught his foot on one, and Maria turned around.
"John! It's so nice to see you!" She pushed a last book onto the shelf and weaved her way round the boxes to hug him. He hugged her back, pecking her on the cheek as they broke apart.
"You've cut your hair," he noted. Her dark hair had gone halfway down her back the last time he'd seen her; now it was shoulder-length.
"Yes," she replied, her eyes twinkling. "It was getting to the stage where it took too long to do it in the morning. You like it?"
John smiled. "Sure. Listen, I was wondering if you wanted to come out for lunch? I want to talk to you about a few things."
"Of course. By the way, your latest book's just come in. When I say "just come in," I mean it arrived last week and we had to read it and write reviews."
"Positive ones, I hope?" John followed her as she led him to the scientific reference section.
"Positively glowing," replied the assistant with- if possible- and even bigger smile.
As John read the reviews written by the various staff members, he felt a familiar glow. The same glow he always felt when he met up with Maria.
TB
"You should all have the appropriate information packs under your seats. Today we will receive presentations from the scientists leading in safety technology." Stephanie Denver looked around at each of the men and women in the room. Brains' limited psychological knowledge told him that the power suit and almost severe hairstyle indicated that the woman felt intimidated by the brilliant minds, as did her body language. He shook himself mentally, getting his mind back on the subject of safety developments. He'd finished his notes in the early hours of the morning, and hadn't been able to make sure they corresponded with his slide show.
"Please save all questions for the end of each talk," Stephanie went on, and Brains gave a small sigh of relief; he'd be able to concentrate much better without interruptions. "There is a notebook and pen inside your information pack for taking notes, and these talks are being recorded for the news, so please don't talk during these presentations as, chances are, you will be picked up." She smiled, and stepped down from the small stage. "Mr Conrad Radcliffe, if you could speak first..."
Radcliffe, an elderly man with thin grey hair limped onto the podium. He inserted a memory stick into the small laptop on the stage and opened up his presentation.
Brains listened in fascination to the scientist's surprisingly strong voice, scribbling note after note. He kept forming questions to ask the scientist, only to have them answered in the talk a moment later. Among other things, the man had created a special new fibre that protected the wearer from the heat in fires several times better than the current standard material. Brains made a note to see about getting some for the Thunderbirds.
Radcliffe was thorough in his talk; there were no questions at the end. Brains' stomach lurched uncomfortably as Radcliffe shuffled back to his seat, suddenly realising he was next.
"Mr Hiram Hackenbacker, would you be so kind as to step up?"
Brains got up swiftly to the podium, fumbling with his notes. He hoped no one noticed how badly his fingers were shaking as he set up his power point presentation.
Straightening, he swallowed dryly.
"Ah, th-thank you," he began awkwardly. "I, um, have d-developed a n-new, ah, safety f-feature, which-"
His stutter was as bad as ever. He groaned inwardly as he struggled through his notes, feeling his face glow under the scrutiny of the scientists before him. One in particular, Meyer, was muttering something to the young woman sitting next to him. She frowned, clearly trying to ignore him. Brains didn't want to imagine what he might be saying about him.
Aside from his stutter, however, Brains managed to feel more and more confident as he went on. When he got onto the subject of what he was currently developing, he suddenly felt like he was talking to Jeff Tracy and his sons about some update for one of the Thunderbird machines. The only difference here was, his audience understood the long, technical terms he spouted. However, Brains was glad when he was finished.
He thought he received a pretty good applause considering how terribly he'd done, but suspected that a lot of it was out of sympathy. When he looked back, however, he saw that Meyer was the only one not clapping.
TB
The sun was hot that day. On a busy street, John knew that the combination of noise, exhaust fumes, heat and glaring light would make him dehydrated, grimy and irritable. However, in this small pocket of green in the city, he felt almost as if he were back at home. Completing the feeling of Paradise, Maria sat across the table, smiling at him.
"So, what was so important that you had to steal my lunch hour to tell me?"
John sighed, leaning forward. He'd looked around as they'd gone into the cafe, and there was no sign that they were being watched or listened to. Just to be sure, however, he'd activated the device in his phone that would detect cameras or microphones. Journalists were known to go to incredible lengths to dish dirt.
"Maria, how long have we known each other?" She shrugged.
"Since my family moved from Spain, I suppose, about five years ago."
John reached across the table and took her hands in his. She raised her eyebrows as she felt them tremble slightly. Why was this so hard?
"Maria, I love you, and I want to be with you forever, but I can't do that unless you know more about me and what I am." She frowned, confused.
"You are John Tracy, former astronaut, writer of four books and three university textbooks. You are the second of five, and the son of Jeff Tracy. You are the sweetest man I've ever met, and I love you. What else is there to know?"
John took a deep breath.
"I'm still an astronaut. I-" His phone beeped. Glancing at it, he groaned in dismay as a small dot pulsed red some way to his right.
"I'm being bugged."
Maria chuckled. "Come on, I know somewhere we can go."
TB
"Professor Hackenbacker?"
Brains turned around to see the young woman he'd seen sitting next to Meyer earlier. She tossed her red hair out of her face, her hand extended.
"Catrìona MacLeod, from Jodrell Bank. I just wanted to say how interesting your talk was."
"Th-thanks, but you d-don't, ah, n-n-need to be nice, um, ah-about it. I know it w-was bad."
Catrìona laughed, a high, lilting sound. "Genuinely, I enjoyed it. If you're basing it on your stutter alone, don't. It was fascinating. Especially the stuff about anti-grav floor plates. Why you of all people would be developing that, I have no idea, but I know my superiors would be very interested to know more."
Brains smiled. "W-would you care, ah, t-t-to j-join me for, um, r-refreshments?" he said, offering his arm. The young woman laughed again, taking his proffered arm.
"You are a charmer. Of course I'd love to."