Published: 25 Mar 2019

The next three days were spent by Cameron setting up the advertising for the new super computer so that the people would be ready to accept the new vehicles and power packs as a part of the new developments undertaken by his company ‘Niue Neutron Electronics’, he hoped that the bait of new technology would be enough to silence any of the questions that would be asked about such radically designed and powered units.

Cameron had some of the robotics sent to the closed hotel to begin the work of transforming it into the rooms that would be needed to house his intimates and guards as well as the top floor for himself, the view from there astounded him when he first saw it and it was the one place that should be safest for him and his boys as the only means of entrance was through the lower floors.

By the second day after the construction of the jetties the hotel had also been transformed and the whole group thanked the managers of the other one they had stayed in and made the move into their new home.

The day after the first construction of the factory Cameron had taken Matteus aside and explained everything to him about why they had come here and what they planned to do although he didn’t tell him everything about himself and what his mind was capable of but he did tell Matteus that he would never have to be alone again and that he would always have a place beside Cameron.

Matteus became inseparable from Cameron and it became his duty to send everyone to bed at night with his beautiful lilting voice and to awaken Cameron in the morning the same way; the rest of the group seemed to have taken Matteus to their collective hearts and were always fussing over him and would drop whatever they were doing when he began to sing.

As soon as Cameron had the medical room set up he talked to Matteus and explained to him about his health then went on to tell him that if Matteus was strong enough they could fix it all up for him.

Matteus with a look of worship on his young face just nodded his head and was ready to agree to whatever was suggested and so that night he was taken into the med room and placed into the same type of oblong box that Cameron remembered so well from his first visit to the station.

Although this one had a slightly denser liquid in it and when Matteus was placed on it he floated on top until the clear see through lid was closed and then he was asleep and sank down until only his face was visible to the onlookers.

Cameron knew it was going to take nearly two hours but he stayed and watched as his special friend began to shimmer as the different colours wrapped around his submerged body, the effect looked ethereal to Cameron as the various liquids and components did their work.

Twenty minutes before the procedure was finished Jason popped into his head.

‘Besat, would you like the boy to age naturally or would you like to slow it for him, we cannot give him as long a life as ours but we can slow the aging process for him so he will be able to at least live for a longer time than normal if you so wish.‘

‘Yes Jason I think he would like that, yes I see now how you’ve worked it, ok then 5 to 1 is good for him.‘

‘Thank you Besat it will be as you ask.‘

This meant that now his young friend would only age one year for every five he lived and would give him a longer life span that normal on earth; Cameron was sure in himself that it was the right thing to do for Matteus as the boy had well earned the right to something better than others.

When the two hours were up the blue green liquid had now turned to white and was draining rapidly from the cabinet. As the boy’s eyes fluttered open, he saw Cameron standing beside him and smiled that beautiful youthful smile that was open and now Cameron saw, also loving.

“How you feel Matteus?”

“Oh Cameron it’s like I slept for a week and I feel so good all over, and I can see a lot better too, my eyes aren’t cloudy like before.”

“That’s great; now what would you like to do?”

“Well I’m not sleepy anymore; can we go up and look at the stars?”

“Sure my little friend, anything for you tonight.”

The two made their way past the guards and up to Cameron’s suite then further up until they were standing on the roof looking out over the mirror like surface of the night time sea with the bright stars reflecting back to them from its surface.

Cameron sat in one of the many chairs that were set around the rooftop, and then Matteus instead of looking for his own chair shyly came to Cameron and looked down as if to ask if he could sit in Cameron’s lap. Cameron smiled up at him and reached out his arms for the boy to fall into as he made himself comfortable on Cameron’s lap with his head back against his chest.

Matteus looked up at the millions of bright stars above his head and sighed a deep contented sigh at the feelings he now had as he lay there. His boss, no his Besat was so nice to him all the time and he knew that he loved him beyond just being an employee.

The strange tingling kept going through his body and he felt that he had a new strength that seemed to make him stronger and more alive after the strange box he had been in earlier.

The days flew by as they waited for their first shipment of scrap until at last the message came that it would arrive the next morning and that everything had gone according to plan.

Cameron had got all the small truck owners on the island and told them he had continuous work for their trucks if they wanted it and to be at the new jetties in the morning for the first loads to arrive.

The robotics had been working during the night times when everyone was asleep and had made a new roadway up to the site of the factory, the local people had been amazed at how quick it had been built and could not make out what the surface was made of, it looked like crushed coral but when you tried to mark it or pick it up it turned out to be solid and immoveable.

Nothing was said about it however as the Islanders accepted it as being what it was, a new road, no more no less, they also knew that everyone on the Island would be getting a share of any money that the factory made as payment for their openness and hospitality as well as for keeping an eye open for strangers.

As part of the contract with the drivers he had told them that they would get new vehicles to do the hauling as soon as the factory was up and running but until then he would need their older trucks, he told them that as part of the contract they would own the new trucks and would not have to pay for them, they would own them for life.

Cameron had spent some time with Jason on designing the units he would need to haul the scrap and at last it was done and the robotics had been programmed by Jason to make them first so that the hauling would go faster and the factory could go to full production sooner.

Cameron’s next design task was to produce their own ships so that the movement times would be faster and the collection of the scrap needed would have to be centralized for shipping, this meant he would have to go back to Australia to do the negotiations and to set it up, this was the time he would be vulnerable to any Melecasians that would be investigating the Transport movements.

Cameron decided to wait until they had distributed a number of their new vehicles around Australia so he could then use his personal transport and would not look too far out of place, he informed Jopty via Jason of his decision and Jopty told him that the craft would be there the day he wanted it.

Now he stood on the Jetty with nearly the total population of the Island watching as the old rusty freighter that they had chartered came over the far horizon with its first of many loads of scrap. Cameron looked over to the other jetty to watch the younger kids as they fished for sprats and sometimes larger fish off the end.

This had become a popular pastime on the jetties as they reached further out into deep water than the old wooden one had done and the kids loved to be out there sometimes fishing and at other times jumping off the jetty and swimming to shore as they laughed and played.

Matteus stood beside his Besat with the other boys dressed in what he now called his “Work Uniform” and was the envy of many of the other boys of the Island as they looked at the boy now well fed and healthy looking instead of the underfed boy they had got used to seeing around the Island, he was no more the brunt of their cruel jokes but respected as one of the new comers were.

The old freighter was now only minutes away and then everyone heard a small clear voice start to sing, it was Matteus, the song was lively and full of hope; it was so obviously a song of welcome. After the first notes were out the rest of the Islanders took up the song with Matteus and sent out their welcome to the first ship of their new lives.

The captain of the freighter must have been able to hear the welcome as he opened up his fog horns with full long loud blasts of noise, sending it echoing out over the surrounding sea and through the green clad hills of the Island.

The ship was soon tied up and the unloading began. Cameron could see it was going to take time with the small trucks that were used here but that would change when the new larger ones had been built at the factory then with the aid of the robots he would set up a system to unload the ships faster than the old style cranes they now used.

The unloading continued on into and through the night and the next day as truck after small truck made its way up the hill to dump the scrap in a pile and then back for more.

The scrap dump had been set just inside the factory in a large loading bay so that the drivers would not see the inside of the factory and the robots as they worked away at what they had been given to do.

At last after three days and two nights the ship was clear to leave, everyone breathed a sigh of relief as the last load headed up the slope to be devoured by the factory, they had used every one of the fifteen trucks available and apart from the usual break downs that the old vehicles suffered it went smoothly and without too many problems.

The next ship was due in two days and it would start all over again but this time the drivers would have their new trucks and the unloading would be quicker and as soon as Cameron was able to get a system in place for getting the scrap out of the holds it would then be only a matter of a day or so and they would be done.

Two days after the first delivery and the fifteen trucks were assembled and waiting for their owners to claim them. They looked sleek and solid, their decks were low to the ground and had four small mushroom shaped posts, one at each corner, the cabs were just a black bubble at the front but as soon as you stepped inside you could see 360 degrees around you, the load was kept on by activating the four small posts and they would throw a stasis field over the load and stop it from moving while the truck was in motion.

Cameron organised a huge party for everyone on the Island to make the presentation to the owners, the feast was done Island style with great umu’s dug in the white sand and whole pigs and vegetables put into them to cook, a stock of kava was ordered from some of the local makers and the party got underway the day before the next ship was due.

The presentation went well and as Cameron took each driver to his vehicle and placed his owner’s wrist band on the man he was met with at first astonishment then a small tear and smile at the gift.

Cameron explained to each driver that the wrist band was set to his truck only and that no one could use it but him, the band activated the drive system and all of the controls in the cab so that no one could access the truck but the driver. Cameron didn’t bother to tell them that he could if he wished over ride the band or set another band for someone else to use if he wished.

Everyone stood back as the drivers took their places in the luxurious cabs, the seats moulding themselves to each person as they sat down, at a signal they reached forward to the single lever in front of them and as they had been told, twisted the hand grip and then eased it forward. Cameron had told them not to worry about the read out screens on the dash just yet as his men would go over everything with them the next day before they started on the next ship.

At the first touch of the grip a humming started and as the drivers pushed forward the heavy trucks slid smoothly over the ground with hardly any dust raised or louder noise than the soft humming. The crowd shouted and clapped as the fleet of new trucks made their way up the hill to the factory and after turning almost on their own length came back down to the gathering below them.

They were all met with cheers and whistles as the drivers got out of the cabs a little nervously but with open satisfied looks on their faces, they knew that they had something of great value and were from that day on determined that their group of new friends would be protected by the population of the whole Island.

The length of the delay for the old freighters to make the trip was still a concern for Cameron and unless they had some special ships built they would take years to get enough vehicles and power packs exported to make a difference to the new power structure that was the Melecasians design.

The sheer size of the ships they needed could not be built here and finding anyone on earth to build then would open to many secrets to the world, it was again little Matteus who came up with the idea, again it was so simple he should have thought of it.

“Besat, you are spacemen why don’t you use space ships?”

Cameron almost threw the idea out but then it hit him, he couldn’t use the transports as they were meant to be used out in space but if they had some either built or altered then they could be used down here instead.

As long as they were not used for space travel then the Melecasians would not see them coming and going in space but if they said they were built here for land and sea use then they may get away with it.

Cameron reached for the boy he now knew was his outright favourite and hugged him close; leaning down a little he kissed the top of his head.

“Matteus you are a treasure and a genius, thank you.”

Matteus smiled and blushed at the compliment but took the opportunity to snuggle a little closer just the same, he felt so safe in those strong arms and the love he felt for Cameron grew even deeper, if it was possible.

Cameron alerted Jason and passed on his requirements, Jason said they would have three ready in two days altered to the specifications that Cameron gave him, he had redesigned them to look a little more like earth ships so that they would not be too far out of place and the huge holds would be able to take three times the amount of scrap.

The only hold up once the new ships had been sent was the actual loading at the earth wharfs, they were still slow and cumbersome so he knew it was time to make the trip to Australia and get their own central loading area set up.

It would have to be by the water although the transports didn’t need it he had to keep up appearances but he would set it up so that the trucks delivering the scrap could drive straight on and tip their loads directly into the holds.

The first of the new vehicles and power packs were ready for export so it was a good time for him to take the next step and go to Australia for the final phase of their plan. He had held back the last ship to dock so that it could be loaded with the new goods and make its way back to Sydney where Cameron had decided to start the retailing of them.

It would take the ship ten days to get back to Australia so Cameron had plenty of time to get ready, he wanted to make the first shipment an important one and along with Jopty had decided to give away the first one hundred vehicles to people he selected when the ship berthed.

They had both agreed that the give always would go to ordinary people and not the usual freebees that all the politicians and councillors got their hands on, this was for the people and Cameron was determined that they would get the benefit from it.

Cameron had got Jason to go over every word of the road rules of Australia to make sure that the new vehicles would be exempt from any of their rules, they couldn’t be licensed as cars as they didn’t have wheels, they didn’t come under the laws of the flying industry as they never went above five meters, so it meant that anyone who could afford to buy them, and they were going to be cheap enough for everybody to afford one; could use it regardless of age or position.

To this end Cameron had decided that some would go to young people and others would go to older people, it was going to be determined by who was there when the ship docked, they had sent out notices to the vid channels and the papers that the first load was being sent and would be unloaded in Sydney for distribution; he had not said he was giving them away.

The power packs were the same, he was going to go around the city and give them to people he thought would benefit the most from them.

The fitting he would do himself as he had the link with Jason to show him how, there remained only the problem of getting his guards to Australia for the opening.

His flyer was too small to take more than two people and he knew that the other one would be Matteus so he decided to send twenty of his guards on the old freighter as passengers and meet them in Sydney when they docked, in his flyer it would only take minutes to make the journey and if he stayed low enough the Melecasians would not detect him.

Everything was set; the loading of the old freighter had gone smoothly as each vehicle had been driven aboard by one of his guards and then locked down with the wrist band being given to Cameron to take with him, the crew of the old ship stood in awe as each vehicle made it on board, they clambered around and over the new style cars smiling and rubbing their hands as they dreamed of what one would be like to drive.

The crates holding ten of the power packs in each were stacked neatly into the hold up by the bow and then it was sealed with one of the guards batons so that it couldn’t be opened until they were there to do it, the captain wasn’t happy but he was paid well to keep everything to himself.

At last Cameron stood on the end of the jetty with everyone else as they watched the freighter disappear over the horizon with its new cargo, heading straight to Sydney and the clamour Cameron hoped it would create.

Cameron sent a link to Jason.

‘Anything from the Melecasians yet Jason?‘

‘No Besat they don’t seem concerned at this stage about the advertising you have done.‘

‘Thanks Jason; keep me informed if anything changes.‘

‘Of course Besat.‘

It was now or never Cameron thought to himself as the faint thread of smoke dissipated into the lowering sun and the ship finally disappeared totally from sight.

The last night before leaving for Sydney was here at last, Cameron lay in bed with Matteus spooned in against him as he had every night since coming out of the Med Room.

‘Besat?‘

‘Yes Jason?‘

‘Your flyer will be landing on the roof in five earth minutes.‘

‘Thank you Jason.‘

Cameron moved a little and as he did so he heard a muffled word from his boy beside him.

“What was that Matteus?”

“Cameron?”

“Yes Matteus?”

“Do you really like me?”

“No Matteus I don’t like you, I love you.”

“You….you really ….love me?”

“Really and forever.”

“Well…when are you….well you know…do it?”

“Do what Matteus?”

“You know…make love to me?”

It was an hour well spent and Cameron even had the assistance of two of his intimates; it was a surprising way to awake in the middle of the night but everyone felt sated and happy as Cameron looked down at the flushed face of Matteus.

“You’ll never be alone again Matteus, I want to spend my life with you.”

Total bliss shone from the half open and glazed eyes below him as he spoke the words he knew would never be taken back.

Cameron smiled down at the boy and with a slight heave rolled off to the side pulling Matteus with him until the boy was on his side facing him.

Four hours later Cameron was awoken by movement beside him and as he opened his eyes he saw that somehow Matteus had turned himself around so that he was spooned back against Cameron.

The sun rose on a scene of disorder with most of the bedding in total disarray, but then that was the nature of more than one person in a bed.

“I have to go, I’m so full.” Said Matteus as he eased himself from the crumpled bedding.

Matteus began to rise and as he stretched his legs over the side of the bed he felt for the first time how tender he really was back there.

Cameron saw the slight tightening of the shoulder muscles as Matteus made to rise.

“You ok Matteus?”

“Yes Cameron, just a bit sore.”

“Wait don’t move.”

“No it’s ok, it’s sore but I kind of like it, I know it’s all you.”

Matteus climbed slowly to his feet and made his way to the bathroom to clean himself out and to rest a little. Cameron nodded to one of the intimates and the boy took off to help Matteus as Cameron rose and dressed ready for the trip to Sydney.

It was nearly an hour before Matteus appeared for breakfast and as he made his way gingerly to Cameron’s table the rest of the guards in the room looked at his efforts and smiled knowingly at him with affection.

An hour later and the two new lovers were in Cameron’s flyer, the front was clear and they could see all the Islanders standing around below them on the front lawn of the accommodation building.

Cameron reached for the control column and rested his fingers around it, then with a smile at the boy beside him, whose eyes shone like brown agates as they took in the cabin of the flyer, Cameron twisted and the deeper humming of the power pack lifted the ship smoothly from its perch on the roof. In no time the two boys were speeding over the blue Pacific waters only 20 meters below them.

“Cameron, this is scary, it feels like we are sitting on air and the water is so close.”

“Do you want me to blank it out?”

“No, no, this is great.”

“I have to stay low so our enemies don’t see us.”

“That’s ok Cameron I like it, this is so fast I can’t even see the water properly, it’s just blurring past.”

“Oh this isn’t full speed; this thing really goes when you’re in space.”

“Would you take me up there one day Cameron?”

“Into space?”

“Yes, I can see all the stars at night but I want to see them close up.”

“I promise then, soon as we can get away from down here then I’ll take you on a trip up there.”

Matteus reached out a small hand and laid it on Cameron’s thigh with a light squeeze.

Although it was midmorning in Niue, with the time zone difference they would arrive in Sydney just before dawn and as the freighter with the vehicles and powerpacks was docking.

Cameron’s instructions to the captain was that nothing would be unloaded until he was there to open the hatches and then he would have them lowered one at a time to the dock and distribute them, all the crew of the ship were to be kept aboard and not released for leave until the new technology was landed and no vid signals were to be sent to anyone from the ship.

With an added cash incentive the captain had readily agreed and Cameron hoped he would keep his word.

Five minutes after leaving Niue they were flashing past Norfolk Island in the dim predawn light as they entered the North Tasman Sea, Sydney was now only minutes away so Cameron lowered his flyer even closer to the water until it was barely skimming over the gentle waves leaving a rooster tail of spray behind them.

Cameron stayed outside the Great Barrier Reef as he sped down the East coast of Australia and minutes later the Sydney Heads showing the entrance to the massive harbour came into sight. Cameron slowed the flyer down a little further until the rooster tail behind them was only five meters high and turned into the opening of the Heads.

The wharf they were going to unload from had been programmed into the flyer so Cameron released the column and channelled everything through Jason as he let him take them into the right area.

The first faint glow of the coming day was making itself known in the Eastern sky as the flyer settled onto the dock beside the old freighter. Matteus sat beside Cameron just staring out of the front of the flyer at everything around him, his mouth agape and eyes wide at the sights before him.

Everything was so big after his small Island home, so many people and trucks, large ocean ships coming and going, small ferries full of people going into the city for the day. Not far away was the huge bridge that spanned the harbour, it was very old and had been built over fifty years ago but good maintenance had kept it looking like new.

Matteus lifted his head and tried to look up at the tops of the tall buildings close to the wharf but his vision was blocked by the top of the flyer, it was all too fast and big for Matteus to take in so he tightened his grip on Cameron’s thigh.

“Hey it’s ok Matteus you’ll get used to it.”

Matteus offered Cameron a rather sickly smile and nodded his head slowly at his boyfriend.

Cameron looked through the front of the flyer and saw people beginning to gather on the dock, vid crews and disc writers for the daily news reports were forming close to the old freighter.

Cameron and Matteus sat where they were, from the outside the flyer just looked like a plain black hull and no one could see into it although Cameron and Matteus had an unobstructed view all around them.

Along the dock were lined up the fifty young boy guards in a straight line but about ten feet out from the ships side so that no one could get too close, just in front of the guard line was a small dais with the Australian Republic flag draped over it.

In only a matter of half an hour the dock was brimming with news crews sight see ‘ers and politicians, all wanted to see the new technology that the vid screens and daily discs had talked about for the past week. A perpetual hubbub of noise came from the assembling crowd as the sun got higher until at 9.00 o’clock Cameron released the doors of the flyer and with Matteus beside him he made his way to the dais.

The only sounds were the comments about all the young boys along the dock and now another one with some Island kid was going to the dais, this couldn’t be the owners of the reported new technology, they were only kids, they couldn’t invent something as grand as what the reports had told them was coming.

Cameron looked down at the bundle of microphones mounted on the dais and after taking a deep breath he began.

“People of Australia, my name is Cameron, I’m the …ah…CEO of Niue Neutron Electronics. We have just finished assembling the first shipment of the new technology vehicles and home power packs, these items are the product of our new super computer that has been installed in our new home on Niue Island which will be our only base.”

Cameron paused to let the introduction sink into the nearly 6000 people crammed onto the wharf in front of him, there was not a sound and he looked over the stunned faces of the crowd before going on.

“As all of you saw, I am driving one of the new technology vehicles and while mine is a little different from the ones we have brought here today it is similar in shape and design. Each vehicle comes with its own power pack that will only need recharging once every year and has been programmed so that the driver and passengers can never be injured in an accident, the safety system are such that it is impossible for you to have an accident and the vehicle has security systems added so that no one but the owner may enter or drive it.”

Again Cameron looked over the spell bound crowd as he explained the new vehicles.

“Now to prove this all to you I am going to have one of the vehicles unloaded and get someone from the crowd to take it and try to crash it into that wall over there.”

Cameron pointed to an old red brick wall holding one side of a warehouse up, and then signalled one of the guards to come to him and passed over a wrist band for the first car.

Cameron bent over to Matteus and whispered in his ear, Matteus nodded and looked out over the crowd and when he found what he was looking for he left the dais and went into the crowd and seconds later appeared with a young boy about ten years old and lead him to the dais.

Cameron heard the faint buzz of the guard’s baton up on the deck of the freighter and seconds later the first car was lowering itself over the side of the ship to the gasps of surprise of the crowd that was now swelling very quickly as more and more people joined in the throng.

The new car landed just in front of the dais and the guard got out and handed the wrist band to Cameron as Matteus and the small boy walked onto the dais.

Cameron looked down onto the cherubic face before him; he had a sprinkling of freckles over his nose and bright shiny green eyes with a shock of unruly red hair showing through an old baseball cap turned backwards on his head.

“Hi, whats your name?”

The young boy looked nervously up at Cameron.

“Daniel.”

“Well Daniel, how old are you?”

“Eleven”

“Tell me Daniel can you drive a car?”

A tinkling giggle came from the small red lips.

“No way.”

“Well then are you as brave as you look?”

The small chest puffed out at the compliment of this older boy.

“I think so.”

“Are you brave enough to drive that car over there?”

“But I don’t know how to drive.”

“If I said that I can give you a magic bracelet that would tell you how to drive would you give it a go?”

The faint lines of a frown came over the boys face as he thought about Cameron’s offer.

“What if I crash it, I can’t pay for it?”

“Ok Daniel. I’ll make a deal with you, ok?”

“Well…mmm…ok.”

“I’ll give you the magic bracelet and if you can crash the car you don’t have to pay for it, ok?”

“You mean you want me to crash it on purpose?”

“Yep, and if it doesn’t crash I’ll give it to you for a present because you were so brave to try it, that sound ok with you?”

The boy nodded his head nervously and then looked around at the stunned faces of the crowd, was this guy Cameron mad or something, giving one of these new tech cars to an eleven year old.

The boy looked in awe at the car then back to Cameron.

“Where…where do I crash it, I’m not going to die or nothing am I?”

“See that red wall there, drive right at it, and no you won’t be hurt at all I guarantee it.”

“Right at that wall?”

“Yep right into it, can you do that?”

“And you…you…you’re really going to give it to me?”

“Cross my heart, soon as you have the magic bracelet then it’s yours forever.”

Daniel looked again first at the car then the wall and lastly back to Cameron nodding his head.

“Deal.”

“Ok Daniel hold out your wrist for me.”

The boy held out his wrist and Cameron fitted the band on him.

“Now Daniel you have to tell the car who you are and give it a name then pick your favourite and best colour and tell the car it’s the one you want.”

Daniel lifted his wrist and looked at the plain silver band, then spoke his name at it.

“Ahm…I’m Daniel…and ah….you’re Peter and I like light blue for a colour.”

The car shimmered in the mid morning sunshine and a loud gasp came from the mouths of the crowd as the car changed to a pale blue and a voice came from the vehicle.

‘Good Morning Daniel, I am your onboard friend Peter, will this blue be enough for you or would you like to change it?‘

Daniel jumped at the sound of the voice; it was just like a boy’s voice about his own age.

“Ahm…no ahh…Peter that’s just right.”

‘Thank you Daniel, would you like to go for a ride now?‘

“Ahm…yes thank you.”

The side of the car closest to Daniel shimmered again and an opening appeared.

‘Please come aboard Daniel.‘

Daniel looked again at Cameron for reassurance and at his nod went toward the car; the crowd was now close to 10,000 strong and not a sound was heard as the small boy slid into the car, there was a little humming as the seat adjusted to fit Daniel and the dash board lit up with all the lights and dials.

‘Now Daniel where would you like to go?‘

“Uhm, well Cameron said I had to run into that red wall with you.”

‘I’m sorry Daniel, I can’t do that it would put you at risk and I am not allowed to let you or myself be hurt or damaged in any way, my safety systems will not allow us to crash into that wall.‘

“But…but…but Cameron said I had to.”

‘Do not worry Daniel it is a test and you have passed it, I am now your vehicle, you may take me anywhere you like but I cannot let you be hurt, your safety is my paramount duty.‘

“C…c…can I go to ….well…Melbourne?”

‘Yes Daniel is that where you would like to go now?‘

“Uhm I’d like to but I have to be home for lunch and it’s a long way.”

‘If you would like to go then we can Daniel, I will make sure you are back for your lunch.‘

“Really, can we go now?”

‘Yes Daniel, Melbourne it is, now place your hand on the control stick in front of you and twist the handle to the right then pull it back a little toward you.‘

As Daniel placed his hand on the column the side of the car became a solid blue and then it was lifting up five meters into the air and was powering out over the harbour then turning south toward Melbourne and picking up speed, five minutes later it disappeared into the far distance.

When it disappeared Cameron was almost knocked off the dais by the tumultuous uproar as the now huge crowd tried to yell all at once, the vid crews and disc newsmen clambered to get closer to Cameron for interviews.

Cameron lifted his hands and waited for the noise to settle down to a loud hum and then started to talk again.

“Well as you can see these new tech cars are totally safe even for a boy to use, now we have 99 more of them, in the hold, these are not for sale but will be given out to people I select here today as a free promotional gift.”

Cameron watched as a large group of what he assumed were people of some importance in the city start to congratulate themselves at their good fortune knowing that something like this is always given to people like them, the rest of the ordinary people never got anything this good. Cameron smiled to himself as he saw them all slapping each other on the back and nodding their heads to each other.

An old expression ran quickly through Cameron’s mind as he watched all the big wigs agree that they deserved the new tech cars, ‘You and who else’s army‘

“Now people the next item we will be giving away for promotion today is a home power pack so that you will no longer have to pay for your power needs. These units run on energy from the ionosphere and once set up they will run your whole house hold as well as charge you new tech cars which by the way we call the ‘Matteus’ after a very special person in our company.”

“Now I have 200 powerpacks here and they will be given out the same as the cars that is to say at my discretion as to whom they go to and we will have them fitted for you at your home.”

At that the crowd erupted again and the news crews called out about prices and who was going to get the cars and power packs, Cameron raised his hands for silence again and when all was quieter he spoke out.

“The prices when they all come on the market will be as follows; the ‘Matteus’ will be priced at 3000 credits and the power packs will be 500 credits each and that will include the fitting to your power system.”

A loud voice called out over the voices of the rest of the crowd.

“That means that the ‘Matteus’ will be more than 10,000 credits cheaper than all existing land cars?”

“Yes Sir that’s right, our Neutron Computer is able to produce items from other means and so the ‘Matteus’ and powerpacks are very cheap to make, we are not here to rip people off, we are trying to give to everyone the use of power and a car that will not need all the pollutants that are used today.”

As Cameron finished talking and the crowd became louder his forehead began to tingle and Jason broke in.

‘Besat, ten Melecasians have just arrived, I’m boosting your biophysics, please call your guards now.‘

To Be Continued

We hope you are enjoying this little novela. You can write to Arthur at, Arthur at CastleRoland dot Net.