Chapter 2 - Howard's Idea

Leonard had been working on the report, on-and-off, for over a week, sometimes get side-tracked thinking about Penny, they seemed to have gotten closer the last couple of weeks and Leonard found himself thinking about her more and more. It was during one of those times, while he was taking a break and thinking about her that Howard stopped by his office to talk to him. The discussion quickly turning to the report Leonard was working on and success in the testing, including the repeatability of Leonard's work. Leonard had no inkling then, but Howard started to formulate an idea, one that both of them would never have realized what it would lead to, probably if Leonard knew he would have kicked him out of his office right then. Howard pressed Leonard about the new material discovery and then he discussed with Leonard about the possibility of using the new material to prevent micro meteorite penetration of space suits. Their discussion continued for the whole afternoon, both agreeing, in the end, that Howard's idea could be worked in parallel to the ballistic armor program. Then innocently, in jest, they gave their space suit project a secret code name, Howard naming it project Tin Man, from the character in the Wizard of Oz, never did either of them know it was a project that would change their lives.

Howard was still an astronaut and so linked to NASA, therefore, he was able to borrow a space suit, to help him and Leonard design Tin Man. They decided they would both work a couple of hours extra each day on the project, so as not use university time for their research and construction. They were also even able to get Raj to drive Sheldon home each night, so Leonard could work later. It was really tough at first, the girls, Penny and Bernadette, complaining about them working so much, but after a while they got use to it and adjusted to their men working the additional hours. Leonard hadn't seen too much of Penny for a couple of weeks, so one Friday night when he had dinner with her, he was surprised to find out she was going back to school. Leonard really felt bad, he had been working so much that he felt like he had been deserting her, not being around to help her. He, of course, over thought the entire situation, and did the completely wrong thing by writing a paper for her, so the next week, Penny didn't care how long he worked because she didn't want to see him anyway, she was so mad at him.

The most amazing thing however was that Leonard and Howard were able to keep their pet project a secret from their friends and the university. Working late in the evening and only when alone, they were able to keep everyone from finding out what they were working on. Leonard had it easier than Howard for the next couple of weeks, Penny still a little aggravated at him and working additional hours, let Leonard put in the long hours at the university without complaint from her. Howard didn't have it much worse though, Bernadette was working on a new drug certification, so Howard only had to make excuses the nights he came home later than her. It was sneaky and exciting, like a game, and Howard and Leonard, soon found themselves enjoying the mystery they created over their secret project.

The space suit, when it came from NASA, included the design data and the first thing Howard and Leonard noticed was that the strength of the Super Kevlar was going to allow them to produce a suit that was much less bulky than the current design. This would be a huge advantage for astronauts and NASA, serving as additional motivation for them to continue their work. Howard telling Leonard a thinner lighter suit design would be of great interest to NASA, and a big plus for the space program. The advantages where huge, with Super Kevlar, the space suit's bulk would now be only defined by the environmental systems in the suit, not the thickness needed for protection. Leonard and Howard now concentrated on making more Super Kevlar and began to put together the outer shell of the material for their new suit. Howard's sewing abilities, in making Halloween costumes, now helping them in the suits assembly, the new suit in a size that would fit them both. The engineer in Howard really shined, as he used his computerized design software to design each piece and then integrate the parts to piece the suit together. Leonard was amazed and impressed with Howard's capabilities and assumed the position as his assistant in the project, assembling the components and being Howard's right hand.

-TIN MAN-

It took a few weeks before they put together the space suit's outer covering and one Friday evening they stood their admiring their handiwork before locking their prototype away, down in the unused storage rooms in the university, near the back loading docks. They felt they accomplished a major milestone and once they gutted the real space suits environmental system and installed it in their suit, they would be ready to present it to NASA for evaluation. Leonard and Howard where really feeling good that night and Penny was now talking and hanging with her boyfriend again, so they took their surprised girlfriend and wife out to dinner and then to a club to dance, the guys were in high spirits the whole night and the girls just enjoying their great night out with their men. Penny more than elated at the sudden increased attention of her boyfriend.

Saturday found Howard and Leonard with the group watching a Star Wars movie, then a chick flick, per agreement with the girls, Star Trek temporary banded for Sheldon, due to Amy's run in with Wil Wheaton during a 'Fun with Flags' taping. After Star Wars movie ended, during the DVD change over to the chick flick, Howard whispered to Leonard, joking that they should be tailors for the storm troopers suits, because their suit was so much more protective, Leonard smiled and nodded. The rest night went by pleasantly and during the drive home, Howard was listening to the radio, when a special request by the station asked for donations for the wounded warrior program, caught his attention. The seemingly simple advertisement made Howard think, which would began the chain of events that would soon make the project spin out of the control. Now spacemen, astronauts, storm troopers and soldiers occupied Howard's mind during the day all Sunday, creating the obsession in Howard, their space suit program was going to take on a new purpose, one that neither Leonard nor Howard had originally planned.

It started on Monday afternoon, Leonard found Howard on the computer working on his CADCAM model, of the exoskeleton. Howard was using most of the parts from his robot sex doll and some new structure to fashion the mechanical device to allow the heavy suit to move like a man in earth's gravity. Leonard had walked in on a very preoccupied Howard, his eyes locked on his computer monitor, his hands and fingers massaging the keys of his keyboard like a musician playing the piano. Leonard couldn't help smile at his friends concentration and stood over Howard for ten minutes until he understood what Howard was doing and began to worry.

"Howard, we don't need all that structure for a space suit. An astronaut will be able to move in the suit fine in zero G's, the way we are building it now." Leonard knew that was not what Howard was designing, but he hoped Howard would get the hint and stop this wild plan Leonard saw him developing.

"No, but for a soldier, in the field, a motorized exoskeleton is needed for him to move around normally." Howard never took his eyes off the screen or his hands off the keyboard, while he responded to Leonard.

"Howard, we were suppose to making a space suit, not new armor for Storm Troopers. What are you thinking you're doing?"

"Putting something together, so guys don't get killed or maimed in combat, Leonard. I really think we have something here, don't you? Leonard this could work for NASA too, the exoskeleton providing astronauts strength to move large objects in space."

Leonard, like Howard knew people who had served in the Middle East and even people that had been wounded. However, Leonard also remembered about Dr Hogan's son and why Hogan wanted to built the new material in the first place, Hogan would jump at the chance to built a protective suit for soldiers. Leonard could see that what Howard was working on was possible and he originally was suppose to be helping Hogan on Army advanced body armor, so he thought 'what the hell'. "Tell me what you got Howard."

-TIN MAN-

It took several weeks to install the exoskeleton, even though they used all the servos and control devices from Howard's old robot. Once assembled for their first test, Leonard was by default the tester because Howard had to work on the external equipment if the test in order for the suit to work. However to both their surprise, the suit powered up on the first time and moved with Leonard in it, like a robot, but it still moved, they had done it, it worked. But to operate the suit required mechanical servos and gyros, it weighed more than the man in it and it needed to balance itself, both critical for it to move. They had tested it most of Saturday, having to stop by 5 PM when the suit gyro failed and Leonard was left sitting on his ass, unable to get up. That evening they found themselves sitting in the lab drinking bottles of water, from all the sweating they did that day, discussing the whole test.

"Howard, the suit worked, but I still felt like a 1930's movie robot, the way it moved. Also we can't depend on one gyro set."

"I can make it better. I can take the small computer out of the Lisatronic robot to allow more human movements and I can put in a backup gyro set. I can also get a heads up display for weapons."

"Weapons?… Howard who said anything about weapons?"

"Leonard, I was thinking about a laser in a turreted shoulder set up, like that movie Predator."

"Howard, you're nuts."

"Leonard, think of it, a laser would allow bomb disposal men to blow up bombs at a distance, or a soldier to look at a target and neutralize it in a millisecond. A laser is the perfect weapon for this suit and the weight allows a complete fire control system with a laser turret. Also, I know NASA would like something like that."

"Howard, lasers aren't miniature pieces of equipment, it will never work."

"I have seen some of the small lasers you use in the lab, I could easily put that on a shoulder turret and link it to a helmet."

"Howard, those lasers are plugged into the special 220 Volt, high current electrical receptacles that are used to charge large capacitor discharge systems. You expect this suit to go into battle with a long extension cord?"

"No. You have been working with chemical reaction packs to give one shot laser bursts, for the military, haven't you. I suggest we put a couple on the suit, in a back pack, to give you a few laser shots. Like a revolver."

By the time they left that Saturday, Howard had convinced Leonard to provide him a working laser for testing. They didn't know their project was getting them now deeper and deeper into trouble.

-TIN MAN-

Leonard was surprised how easy the laser fit in, Howard was amazing with his engineering knowledge from making things work in space. He used an old military helmet targeting system and the heads up display program from a video game to produce a working system. The laser was powered by newly developed experimental laser packs, which Howard incorporated 3 into the suits back pack. The laser packs where two separate chemicals that when mixed produced a chemical reaction that resulted in huge amounts of electrons, stripped from their atoms, to produce huge amounts of electrical energy, for a very short time. However, there was a catch, this energy had to be used in 2 seconds or too much would be built up and an explosion would result as the energy was released. Howard and Leonard developed an electrical dump system failsafe, that would automatically dump the electrical energy into a electrical radiator and the suit batteries to prevent an explosion, in case laser use was aborted. In addition, Howard talked Leonard into coming up with a quick fire system, to fire the laser quicker that the 10 second normal full power charge, so before they were done, the laser could respond, with less that full charge, in 3 seconds of operator command. They were now ready to test their weapon.

It was another Saturday afternoon and Howard and Leonard were locked in Leonard's laser lab, with all their new equipment. They didn't need the suit, so they had an improvised set up, for Leonard to wear, to hold the laser turret, and the helmet, both plugged into Howard's laptop.

"Okay Leonard, we have the dummy packs installed, so you can practice a couple times without the full power laser. You just say the words I told you and the computer will respond to your voice, like we trained it. Also, I rigged a laser pointer to the laser to come on a couple seconds before firing to let you know if you are on target. So anytime you are ready." Leonard put on the helmet, Howard helping him adjust it and then strapping the laser turret on his shoulder. Howard then started the video camera, nodding to him and Leonard took a breath, "Targeting" The computer recognized Leonard's voice and gave the commands to turn on the eyepiece over Leonard's left eyeglass lens, providing him target crosshairs for the laser.

Leonard swallowed, "Laser Energize" began the simulated chemical mixing in the laser packs, which were dummies, the computer then responded to Leonard, "Countdown" a moment later

"Ten…..Abort" the countdown for the ten second full chemical reaction had started, the computer telling Leonard he had only to say 'Abort' to stop the process.

"Nine…..Abort"

"Eight….Abort"

"Seven….Abort" Leonard now put the crosshairs over the burnt Cylon toy figure that was today's target.

"Six…..Abort"

"Five….Abort" Leonard couldn't help feel nervous as sweat started to form on his forehead.

"Four…..Abort" Howard checked his screen the computer was operating perfectly

"Three…..Abort"

"Two…..Abort" Leonard almost jumped when the laser from the pointer appeared on the toy figure, exactly where his eyepiece crosshairs were laying.

"One…Abort"

The computer announced, "Ready" and Leonard froze, it all seemed too real, and he forgot what to say. The helmet prevented him from hearing Howard yell 'Fire', so after two seconds the computer went failsafe.

"Laser abort. System discharge"

Leonard stood there in a daze, until Howard's rapping on the helmet made him take it off.

"Leonard what happened, did it break? What went wrong?"

"Me Howard, My God it was so real, I panicked."

"Okay, first time, but are you ready now?"

"Yeah Howard, lets do it again."

"Okay Leonard, quick fire this time."

Leonard put the helmet back on his head, and waited till Howard gave him the thumbs up.

"Targeting" his eyepiece came alive, the crosshairs seemed like his friend now.

Leonard's voice was now confident, "Laser Quick Charge" Howard watched the computer go to the quick three second chemical mix routine.

"Countdown" The computer spoke to Leonard again.

"Three…..Abort."

Leonard's whole mind concentrated on the crosshairs.

"Two….Abort."

The targeting dot appeared on the figure again just were the crosshairs were.

"One….Abort."

Leonard, was now ready.

"Ready"

"Fire" He said without hesitation. In less than a second the beam from the laser pointer went out then on, pulsating on the target for almost a full second. Leonard had simulated killing his first Cylon.

The rest of the testing was anticlimactic, the laser actually firing and killing action figures, the only difference from the simulation. The laser and chemical packs worked perfectly and the targeting system was accurate to a half of a centimeter, so the test was a big success. They didn't know they had sealed their fate.

-TIN MAN-

A week later the laser was installed and the prototype was done, Howard had refined the movement system and now the suit walked more like a man than a robot, The helmet consisted of a Super Kevlar enclosure that was laminated in a plastic and looked like a cross between a storm trooper's and astronaut's helmet. The suit had a large back pack, which contained special space batteries for power, three chemical fuel packs for the laser, the computer controls and a manned maneuvering pack, which would allow the wearer to jump. Once in the suit, Leonard couldn't not help but feel like something akin to Iron Man, the heads up display Howard put in, like the one in the movie, except without all the capabilities, after all the suit couldn't fly. But the wearer could talk to the computer, and the computer would talk to the wearer, again not like Iron Man, the computer and wearer could only say a few preplanned words to each other.

Late the next Sunday night, they did their final test, they had been planning it all week. There was a university basket ball gym near where they had the suit, so after dark they locked the gym doors and moved the suit in. Spreading mats over most of the floor, to not scratch the wood, Leonard walked around in the suit, getting its feel and trying to find problems. After both of them were happy, the real excitement started, Leonard jumped, the noise manned maneuvering pack was terrifying to Howard outside the suit, but Leonard jumped from one side of the gym to the other and actually landed on his feet, Howard's gyros doing their job and special cushioning soles in his boots, plus the exoskeleton, absorbing the force of his landing. Leonard accomplished 10 more jumps until power was down to 50 percent, and he had to stop, but now he had confidence in its capabilities. They finished their test of the targeting system by targeting items across the gym, killing them with the laser pointer, unable to fire the real one. By 3 AM, they were done, it all worked, they were ready, and as soon as Dr Hogan came back, the Army was going to be in for a big surprise.