27- New Beginnings… chapter twenty-seven

The jet was in the air heading for Arizona just minutes after Walter and Lynn boarded.

"You are certainly flying into a mess without any information to work with," Lynn said. "They sure expect a lot in a short time."

"Once the new system design is on the computer, computer modeling can get a fair amount of data gathered. Have no idea how soon the physical fabrication can get done to set up actual test data."

"Going to be a problem with your former team mate?" Lynn asked. "She did refer to you as a goofball. That normal?"

Walter laughed, "is anything normal when working with the likes of me and other genius? Happy has never been the easiest to work with. To say she has an abrasive personality is to put it mildly but there is no doubt on her truthfulness- there is no hidden agenda with her- everything is up front and in your face. She has no tolerance for mucking about, stupidity, or subterfuge."

"Wow, I had better keep a distance from her, then."

"Why? You are certainly not stupid, and being mechanical oriented you should get along well."

"No, but I do 'muck about' a lot," Lynn chuckled. "Will she approve of me with you?"

"The only person you need worry about approval from is me, and you certainly have no worries there. The whole world could disapprove and I would not care as long as you are content by my side."

"Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy when you say things like that. I just wonder why am I along for this ride? My math isn't to your level, design of large systems for rocketry isn't my bailiwick, either."

Walter sat back looking at Lynn with a slight smile, "isn't it enough that I WANT you with me? And don't you find this more interesting than sitting in the garage or your place?" His smile faded, "or would you rather not be here… guess I should have asked? I can get you a commercial return flight and you could be home before you know it. I should have thought this through more."

Lynn sat there watching the changing features of Walter's face. "You are amazing."

Walter looked up at Lynn, "what…..?"

"Here you are, being flown in a private jet to address a problem it seems no one but you can resolve and you do not worry that you might not be able to fix it yet you question yourself when it comes to a personal issue. I do not understand why you are rock solid on so many things yet so hesitant on other things that are of less import."

Walter smirked, "the math and science are second nature- practically don't have to think on it and the answers just pop up. These things you say are of 'less import' are incredibly important to me." He got up to get something to drink from the small refrigerator. "want something to drink?"

Lynn came up behind him, "what kind of goodies does Richard stock in his corporate jet? Just think of all the big-wigs that have been jetted around the world by Elias Enterprises private jets and yet here we are all alone. Billionaires and millionaires, heads of state, big corporate honchos, economic advisors, politicians…. and along comes little 'ol Walter O'Brien and Lynn Morris, and we get the plane all to ourselves…. give you any ideas?"

Walter turned to Lynn to whisper in her ear, "are you trying to lead me astray, young lady?"

Lynn gave him a big grin, "who is the old man, here? In the presence of an impressionable, innocent, young lady new to the heady world of the jet set. I take it you have been on Richard's private jets before?"

Walter smiled and put his arm around Lynn, "come young lady let me regale you with tales of flying around the world in jets, sea planes, military transport planes, and fighter jets screaming through the skies." He led her back to his seat and patted his lap for her to take a seat. "Usually there were others in attendance so propriety had to be maintained." He gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek, "but such is not the case this evening. You have any suggestions on how to make this flight more….. entertaining… I am at a loss."

Lynn ran her hands up his chest to wrap around his neck to run fingers into his hair and plastered her mouth on his to initiate a long, involved necking session until the pilot announced they would be landing in fifteen minutes at the Elias Enterprises engine test site.

"Gods, young lady, you are going to be the death of me," Walter mumbled. "Think I really may be too old for this kind of activity."

Lynn giggled getting up from Walter's lap, "yes, your condition is a bit more pronounced than mine. Think it is too late to hit the test facilities so we can go straight to a motel? For an old man you are really showing me a lot of the world- making out on a jet, now on to getting serious in a motel….. was it just last night you showed me so much about relations? You are quite the instructor." She opened her purse and pulled a hair brush out to straighten her mussed hair, she laughed, "what have you been doing- your hair is more messed up than mine, let me brush your curls into some semblance of order…. no telling what Gene will think seeing us get off the plane like this. People already have strange attitudes about people from LA we don't need to up it a notch."

"Come sit down we be landing," Walter said. "NO! Not on my lap you crazy woman- over there."

The plane touched down smoothly and taxied to the hangar. A groups of people were standing around watching the plane head into the hangar. The co-pilot opened the door and the steps went down. Walter grabbed his duffle bag to put the strap over his shoulder, took Lynn's luggage and the laptop to go down the steps then turn to give Lynn his hand.

A tall red-haired man walked over to Walter, "I take it you are goofball O'Brien from LA? I am Gene Koehl, manager of engine test." He put his hand out to shake.

Walter shook his hand, "ah, slow reading Gene, nice to meet you at last. This is Lynn Morris, component test engineer in the LA complex."

Gene shook her hand as well then led the way to the rest of the group. "I take it you are acquainted with Happy Quinn, this is Jack Osburn and Tina Lam, both propulsion design who have been working with Quinn. We have accommodations here on site for visitors, jump in the cart and we will take you there to unload your stuff. Would you want to look things over tonight or wait until morning?"

"Happy, nice to see you, you all as well. Let's check things over tonight- want to know what I will be working with."

Everyone got in the electric carts for the drive across the site to the building with visitors quarters. Walter was shown a room and Lynn another to put their cases and duffle bags. Walter kept his laptop with him and followed Lynn back to join the group for the ride to the test facilities. Getting to the complex, they entered, went down a couple long halls to a large conference room with several whiteboards attached to one wall. Large design spec drawings of the new fuel delivery system were hung as well.

"Would it be possible to see the old delivery system that was fluctuating? Want to see the differences- did you ever discover the cause? Have all the data available here?" Walter asked. "And some coffee would be nice." He sat down at a table with a desktop computer, opened the case and pulled his laptop out to sit at the corner of the table and heard Happy chuckle behind him. Without turning he said, "yes, Happy, just like at the garage- old habits."

Gene sat down next to Walter, powered up the desktop unit and brought up the data files. "There are reams and reams of data- hope you read faster than I do if you want to go through it all." He looked at Walter, "this file is of the engine test three weeks ago that just showed the intermittent fluctuation, this file all the data for the test two weeks ago where it was more apparent- to you, anyway. If you don't mind my asking, what prompted you to slow down the video to spot it?"

"I did not slow it down until I showed it to Lynn then sent it to you," Walter said absently starting to review the data of the first test on the flat screen.

Gene turned to Lynn and quietly asked, "he spotted that fluctuation it real time?"

Lynn nodded, "Yeah, showed it to me and I asked what I was supposed to have seen so he then slowed it down. I was pretty amazed, too."

Happy walked over to join them, looked at Walter focused on scanning the data on the flat screen, then turned to Gene, "better get the coffee fired up and available, he is zoned in on the data so may as well leave him to it." She turned and gave Lynn a stare, "going to hit the hay- he is zoned until morning," then left the room.

Gene watched Happy leave, "She knows him pretty good I take it?" He turned to Walter still going through the data files, "Walter, can I help with anything?"

Without looking up, "Coffee, thanks. I will let you know what I find in the morning. You all need not stick around."

Gene turned to Lynn, "you want to go to your room? I will have a coffee brewer brought in for him."

"No, I will stay here, bring the brewer and everything, I will keep him supplied for the night, thanks."

Gene left and within a few minutes returned pushing a cart with coffee maker, cups, tin of coffee and filters. "Here you go everything you need to keep him through the night. Happy did warn me he was a strange one, especially when he gets focused on data." He plugged in the coffee maker, turned to look at Walter as the data files flashed on the screen, turned to Lynn, "good night," then left. The coffee maker started gurgling, when done, Lynn poured a cup and put it close to Walter on the table then went and sat down to watch. She noted the time- 9:47 PM. Saw Walter reach over, drink some coffee and continue the data stream. 3:15 AM she started another pot of coffee while the data continued to stream on the flat screen only now it was the second test data file. 6:40 AM, she started another pot of coffee when Walter rose. "Damn, where is the closest head, I am about to explode."

"Out the door, men's room by the water fountain in the hall," Lynn said.

"Thanks, love," Walter said and sprinted out the door, returning in a few minutes. He sat back down and pulled the laptop close to open a file and started typing in data from his review. "Amazing there was not a more noticeable issue prior to the fluctuating I spotted. Gene is going to be surprised the issue could have been handled by simply changing the fuel flow- the longer runs caused a section to bind up- turbulence that impeded smooth flow as it were." Walter rose to check out the new design hung on the walls. "The prior design was OK, however, looking over Happy's she improved it immensely…. as Happy always does."

"Thanks for the compliment, O'Brien." Happy said entering the room. "Figure out the problem so you can explain it to the people around here or are you going to start expounding all kinds of mathematic crap way over their heads?"

Walter turned to Happy to stare at her for a moment, "tell me what you know of Chevrolet Corvairs."

"What is this, some kind of trivia quiz?" Happy thought a moment, "flat-opposed, air-cooled six. American engineering, not German. Built from 1960 through 1969. Quirky little cars- first production car to have a turbo, but primitive so pops its cookies if you keep putting your foot in it. People have used the engine to power planes, boats and a couple strange people made motorcycle with the engine but many more put them in three-wheelers. Nader was a fool- nothing dangerous about the cars if tire pressure was maintained properly and people were sensible driving them… once used to their handling, can drift them pretty good- pass my trivia exam?"

"Happy, meet Lynn Morris, she owns, builds, and maintains two Corvair- outruns a Porsche on the road course. Do try and keep the conversation civil, Happy." Walter then sat back down to continue typing the data review report on his laptop.

Happy crossed the room to get a cup of coffee. "So what are you, O'Brien's sex-atery?"

"CIVIL, Happy," Walter said while typing.

Lynn smiled, "Walter did warn me you had an abrasive personality. He certainly was not joking- is it really necessary to be obnoxious or are you just jealous?"

Happy smirked, "jealous of O'Brien?"

"No, that I have two Corvairs, race them against Porsche and win?"

"Why would you mess with ancient, American, obsolete engineering when so much better is available?"

"It is fun to keep ancient, American, obsolete engineering on the road and winning races. And I like 'quirky'."

"Well, you got 'quirky' in spades with O'Brien."

At that point, Gene, Tina and Jack entered the room. "Good morning everyone," Gene said. "Come up with anything Walter?"

"Yes, writing the report on findings now. Your delivery system was not the problem, I have noted the data that shows the fuel flow caused turbulence in the line. However, Happy's design is cleaner, lighter, and should work well. Once fabricated, and mocked up, we can run a dynamic test on air to check flow rating. Once that data is available, fuel component ratio and flow should be easily ascertained and numbers plugged in to see actual data points. Have a decent desktop unit available after the dynamic test with air, I can computer model and give data for the initial actual fuel test run." Walter hit a couple more keys, "the report on the data reviewed last night is printing out so you can check it over."

"You really went through all that data last night?" Gene asked. "You do read fast."

"In the report, the file page and line are noted to prove turbulence was the issue so you can go back through the files and pinpoint the data I used for the determination." Walter rose, put his laptop in its case. "Lynn and I have been up all night, would like to get some shuteye while you decide the next move. You can send that report on to Richard if you wish or put it into whatever format you normally use to communicate with him. About five or six hours rest should be plenty then you can give me an idea of what is needed next. How close are you to fabrication of Happy's design? That can be the next step- the air testing, then computer modeling, and done."

Gene had the report in hand, "I will give you two a ride to the visitor's rooms. Will have dinner when you get up and let you know where we are. Six hours will be knocking on your doors. Shall we go?"

Walter and Lynn got out of the cart. "Thanks for the ride, Gene. See you in a few hours." They went to their rooms to shower and get some rest. Walter laid back on the bed when Lynn came in to join him.

"It is cold in that room by myself. Like some company?"

Walter raised the blanket for her to get in with him. "GODS, old man, you are totally naked!"

"I figured there was a 73% chance you would want to join me- to finish what you started on the plane….. and your presence has proven my calculation correct. Like the long nightshirt- seven buttons down the front. Shall I start at the top or the bottom?"

"Walter, you are a genius, but guess I am smarter as I just have to pull it over my head and no messing with buttons at all. " She pulled it off and dropped it over the side of the bed. "Come on, old man, a bit more instruction is in order….."

Walter and Lynn were comfortably entwined- totally sated and fast asleep when there was loud knocking on the door. "Come on, O'Brien! Rise and shine!" Happy yelled. "O'Brien, everyone is waiting for you, get the hell up!"

"Alright, Happy, I'm up, let me get dressed, and don't bother Lynn."

"Already did, she's in there with you isn't she? That is why I volunteered to get you- so not to embarrass her for bedding a weirdo like you. Make it snappy, O'Brien."

"Gods, Walter, thought you said this chick was a friend of yours," Lynn mumbled putting on the long nightshirt. "She keep mouthing off and I am liable to pop her one. I can out up with an abrasive personality, but she is just being a bitch, now,"

"Pop me one? You and how many friends?" Happy yelled through the door.

"Lynn, calm down, Happy tends to be antagonistic, leaning toward violent, so just put up with it."

"I'll give her some violence- a fat lip, by the gods THAT will shut her obnoxious mouth up. Calling you a weirdo- she has no room to talk about YOU like that. SHE'S the damned weirdo and I may mess her up so other people can SEE she's a weirdo."

Happy beat on the door, "come on BOTH you weirdos before I come in and drag your sorry asses out."

"JUST A MINUTE, just a minute, Happy," Walter yelled then quietly asked Lynn "Lynn, did you lock the door when you came in?"

Walter was sitting on the bed putting shoes on when Happy burst in the door. "NO, she didn't lock the door, dumb ass."

Lynn put her hands up defensively when Happy strode toward her then grabbed Happy's arm and threw her onto the floor to step in her wrist. "You come busting into OUR room demanding and smart mouthing to Walter, you want your jaw broken? Easy to do you all laid out on the floor like a fatted cow." Lynn said, "want to try AGAIN?"

Happy tried to get up, "you will have a hard time rolling the throttle on your bike with a busted wrist. Just relax before I get really pissed and you end up in worse shape than Walter was when ANOTHER loser team member beat him up from behind."

Walter finished putting his shoes on, stood up and looked at Lynn with a wry smile. "Think you are in the wrong line of work, Lynn. Let her up, you won't do anything stupid again, will you Happy? Lynn run over and get dressed so we can get going."

"I let you up and leave, should you put one mark on Walter, you will be unconscious for a week." Lynn left to go get dressed. Walter sat back down. "Gods, two women fighting in my bedroom- what is wrong with this world. Come on Happy, get up off the floor and sit down like a civilized person and talk to me. Why you trying to fight with a young, petite blonde woman just because she is with me?"

Happy just sat on the floor, "'cause that is what Toby is in Vegas with. A petite, cute, little blonde helping him ruin his life- he served me divorce papers two weeks ago." She got up and sat in a chair. "Everything has totally fallen apart, no family again, just working motorcycles so the money is sparse. The whole world was crashing around me and this Gene has his biker buds ask me about a ROCKET system. I KNEW you had to have had a hand in that. Everything was so good when Scorpion was together and it blew up, and now everything is blown up and YOU are doing so well and actually have a young, petite BLONDE that gives a shit about you and you HELPED me even though I did not deserve it 'cause I walked out on you, when you did so much for me…. and STILL are doing so much for me."

"Gods, Happy. Why didn't you get hold of me or ride over to LA? You know me better than most anyone- I don't hold grudges, I see people for their abilities, no matter how they behave. Yes, I got hold of Gene and suggested he see you- new eyes on a problem he was dealing with. I hesitated to send that message, but let's face it, the space program was worth taking the risk of possibly pissing you off. And while Lynn is a young, petite blonde, you should get along with her- she is mechanical, too. I actually thought should you two meet I would never be able to get under the hood of a car again…. but then did think I would really enjoy sitting back relaxed sipping coffee while watching you two women fix my car." Walter got up, "come on, let's see if Lynn is ready and the three of us go fix Gene's problem for him- will make Richard happy, too. And once in the Elias Enterprises sphere, your future is assured. You pop up with a few more designs and patents, Richard's paychecks will mount up….. that is called a win/win, right? You using your full abilities, Richard benefits, the space program benefits, your bank account benefits, and I won't have to leave the garage to clean up crap in Arizona." Walter got his laptop, headed for the door, grabbed Happy's sleeve to pull her up as he passed and opened the door to see Lynn leaning against the wall by the door. "Shall we go, LADIES? Don't know about you but I am hungry."