FLIGHT OF THE MCFLYINATOR
BY
BOB WRIGHT
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Throughout my recent life, I've frequently referred to the popular 80s characters you'll see immortalized (hopefully in the positive sense) in this story as "Science Incorporated," and have tried to think of ways to bring them together. What you are about to read is the most plausible thing I could think of. Since the films were for the most part released about the same time, the timeline in a way does make sense, sort of.
I've always thought that Doc should have a heavy that matches well against him, like Biff does with Marty. Dr. Catledge is my attempt at this type of character.
Marty McFly, Doc Brown, and all related Back to the Future characters and indicia are trademark copyrights of Universal City Studios. Honey I Shrunk the Kids and Flight of the Navigator are trademarks of Walt Disney Pictures. Johnny-5 and all related Short Circuit trademarks and indicia are copyrights of Tri-Star Pictures and PSO Enterprises. And now, as always, sit back and enjoy the story.
ONE
July 16, 1986 8:57 p.m.
It was one of the most talked about places in all of Hill County. Horror stories abounded over what might be happening inside. Standing atop a tall mountain in the middle of the county and heavily guarded by security the likes of which were rarely seen elsewhere in the country, there was little else to discourage people from making their guesses. Nobody ever left K.O.N.D.O.R. Industries, not even for medical emergencies. All anyone knew was that impressive technology came out of it once every three months on average. And that was all that mattered to the man in charge of the facility.
Dr. Dale Catledge never took a day off, which was impressive considering that he rarely did any actual work anymore. Sitting at his desk inside his private office—which he rarely even left anymore—he could see all the way from Bakersfield to the north to Hill Valley in the south from the huge windows set in place in his office on either wall. He rarely looked out them though. Most of his attention was spent looking at the various monitors set up on the wall in front of him, where he could watch the scientists doing his bidding at work throughout the massive factory that K.O.N.D.O.R. Industries now was.
His rise to wealth had admittedly not been smooth. Several times his own creations hadn't worked, and he'd had to take credit for other persons' creations. Perhaps the largest of these was his creation of NASA's basic rocket system in the 50s, where'd he'd set up his associate, a Dr. Black or Green or one of those colorful names that he couldn't remember anymore, for the failure of his own system. The guy had been fired and from what he'd last heard had become an insane crackpot. Catledge, meanwhile, had risen to the top, becoming one of the nations most respected scientists, providing basic technology to NASA and the Defense Department for huge sums, and getting numerous awards from various organizations for his efforts. His net worth was now about $100 billion, augmented by his control in the burgeoning computer industry up the road in Silicon Valley. He'd become powerful enough that he could command his own private guard and could influence elections in Hill County.
Of course, that had meant alienation from the rest of the normal world. His wife had left him in 1973, claiming he'd paid too much attention to work. Catledge couldn't have cared in the least. All his old associates had long since left him. His family was now his Newfoundland Haeckel, who lay at his feet, and the scientists and guards who worked for him. His agents went around the country annually, sucking up new talent to use for K.O.N.D.O.R., usually up and coming scientists or older discredited ones. Recent mass firings at Dynatechnics in Cleveland and Nova Robotics in Portland, Oregon had greatly swelled his staff. As they weren't allowed any contact with the outside world, their lives all but revolved around their work, which was just the way Catledge wanted it.
There was a knock on his door. "Enter," Catledge said lazily. Two people came into his office. The first was his top assistant Dr. Norman Gately, a blathering sycophant whose main qualifications for his position was that he wouldn't dream of challenging Catledge's authority. The other was his new valet, Biff Tannen, a whimpering loser who he'd picked up in Hill Valley after his automotive business had failed. "You're dinner's ready, Dr. Catledge," the foolish waste of life (as far as Catledge was concerned) said, setting his boss's tray of roast steak on the desk in front of him.
"Sir, we're ready to begin the time travel test, if you're ready," Dr. Gately said.
"Good, good," Catledge said, rubbing his hands in delight. Time travel had always been the one thing he'd wanted to achieve more than anything throughout his life. He knew that if he could master it, he could conceivably go into the past and make himself even more powerful, perhaps even president or more. His favorite film had been The Terminator two years ago, and he planned to perhaps figure out how to create terminators of his own if he was able to enforce his will on the pathetic populace. Recent additions to his staff had given him more power with robotics. He just needed the apparatus to be able to use it.
"Come on, Haeckel, we'll see if I've been given the jackpot here," he told his dog as he walked toward his private elevator. Biff picked up the tray and followed his boss into the elevator just as it closed. "You know, Dr. Catledge, I've been really interested in time travel," he told Catledge, who only slightly listened, "This one time, I thought I saw a flying DeLorean go past my..."
"Dr. Gately, is Dr. Fugett sure his system is foolproof?" Catledge asked his assistant, ignoring Biff.
"He says it is," Gately told him, "He did a run-through beforehand, and he said it went smoothly."
"I should hope it is," Catledge said darkly, "Or I'll make him pay for wasting my money for so long."
They stopped at the second floor, where they walked out onto a catwalk overlooking the main floor of the complex. Scientists milled here and there working on various contraptions. The object of Catledge's attention was a large black pyramid-shaped object near the far wall. "Dr. Marner," he addressed the nearest man on the catwalk, "Are we ready to go?"
"Ready when you ask, Dr. Catledge," Dr. Howard Marner said. He was a recent addition to Catledge's staff, having been brought on board on board after the recent Nova disaster. "Okay Jim, Dr. Catledge is ready," he called down to the scientist nearest the pyramid.
A silence fell over the building, everyone directing their attention to the mustached man. "Dr. Catledge," Dr. Jim Fugett announced to his superior, "Today, I will attempt to create what man has only dreamed for eons. With this device, I will travel one minute ahead in time."
Applause swept through the facility. "First," Dr. Fugett said, "I will need to use this," he held up a vial of some kind of green liquid. "I call it Timox," he told the other scientists, "It allows for temporal displacement to occur by pushing a hole into the envelope of time around us." He poured the Timox into an opening near the door of the pyramid. "Timox needs a catalyst to activate it and to power the contraption," he went on, "For this purpose I have installed a water turbine inside the time device that will serve both these purposes." He threw a lever that started up the turbine with a loud roar. Catledge smiled; everything was going great so far.
"I am now setting the displays to go one minute into the future," Dr. Fugett said, punching some displays on the big control panel, "Once I throw the main lever inside, I will be transported to 9:03 p.m. And now, I will attempt temporal displacement."
He climbed into the time machine and closed the door. Moments later, the lights along the sides of the pyramid started glowing as the machine revved to life. "Oh boy, here we go!" Biff shook in delight, spilling Catledge's coffee all over the catwalk, "This is history, I just...."
"Will you be quiet!"? Catledge snapped, "I'm trying to savor the moment!"
Just then alarm sirens went off as the time machine's clanking became more frantic. Smoke poured out of openings in the side. Moments later the cone of the pyramid exploded off, and the structure warped from intense heat into the shape of a tidal wave. Dr. Fugett stumbled out coughing as the emergency crews extinguish the fires. "Sorry Dr. Catledge," the scientist said up to his boss, "I think I misjudged the amount of water needed to cool..."
"You failed me, Fugett," Catledge said darkly, "I don't accept failure."
He withdrew a gun from his pocket. Most of the other scientists turned away, familiar with what was now going to happen. "No, please Dr. Catledge, give me another chance!" Dr. Fugett pleaded, "It was just a slight deviation! If you'll just give me...!"
A blast from Catledge's gun silenced him. "Everybody back to work!" Catledge growled at his employees, "I want another design submitted in three days and work begun on it. Tannen, Haeckel, we're going back upstairs!"
The scientists slowly turned back to their experiments. The phone started ringing in another room. "I'll get it, "Gately said, hustling over the catwalk toward it.
"Boy Dr. Catledge, you sure run a tight ship here," Marner said nervously to Catledge as he followed him and his entourage back to his elevator."
"Fear, Dr. Marner, "Catledge told him, "it keeps everyone working their hardest. And only the hardest work can yield results."
"Then I wonder why my business went under?" Biff wondered, "I worked hard."
"Well some of us have what it takes to work in the real world, Tannen, and some of us don't," Catledge grumbled. He picked up his roast steak from Biff's tray. "This is cold, go cook another one!" he ordered, tossing the now worthless steak to Haeckel.
"Dr. Catledge!" Gately stuck his head through the elevator door just before it closed, "I have some exciting news for you!""
"It better be," Catledge growled, "What?"
I just got off the phone with Dr. Farraday at NASA, sir; he has just made the discovery of a lifetime," Gately said grandly.
"And what might that be, Dr. Gately?" Catledge asked. Gately motioned his closer and whispered in his ear. Catledge's expression immediately brightened. "He's sure of this?" he asked his second in command.
"He's positive, sir, "Gately reassured him.
"Well this may be some good news after all," Catledge smiled. "Call him and tell him I'll be over as soon as possible."
"Right," Gately disappeared as the elevator door closed. "Tannen, ready my limo and tell the Hill County Airport to have my private jet up and running for departure in an hour," Catledge told Biff, "We're going to Cape Canaveral."
"Right away, Dr. Catledge," Biff ran down the hall to his quarters once they reached the boss's level.
"So what is this all about?" Marner asked Catledge as they entered his office.
"Dr. Marner, we've just come across a way of time travel," Catledge said in a bated breath, "We'll have some fine-tuning to do with it, but the technology is now ours...along with irrefutable proof."
BY
BOB WRIGHT
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Throughout my recent life, I've frequently referred to the popular 80s characters you'll see immortalized (hopefully in the positive sense) in this story as "Science Incorporated," and have tried to think of ways to bring them together. What you are about to read is the most plausible thing I could think of. Since the films were for the most part released about the same time, the timeline in a way does make sense, sort of.
I've always thought that Doc should have a heavy that matches well against him, like Biff does with Marty. Dr. Catledge is my attempt at this type of character.
Marty McFly, Doc Brown, and all related Back to the Future characters and indicia are trademark copyrights of Universal City Studios. Honey I Shrunk the Kids and Flight of the Navigator are trademarks of Walt Disney Pictures. Johnny-5 and all related Short Circuit trademarks and indicia are copyrights of Tri-Star Pictures and PSO Enterprises. And now, as always, sit back and enjoy the story.
ONE
July 16, 1986 8:57 p.m.
It was one of the most talked about places in all of Hill County. Horror stories abounded over what might be happening inside. Standing atop a tall mountain in the middle of the county and heavily guarded by security the likes of which were rarely seen elsewhere in the country, there was little else to discourage people from making their guesses. Nobody ever left K.O.N.D.O.R. Industries, not even for medical emergencies. All anyone knew was that impressive technology came out of it once every three months on average. And that was all that mattered to the man in charge of the facility.
Dr. Dale Catledge never took a day off, which was impressive considering that he rarely did any actual work anymore. Sitting at his desk inside his private office—which he rarely even left anymore—he could see all the way from Bakersfield to the north to Hill Valley in the south from the huge windows set in place in his office on either wall. He rarely looked out them though. Most of his attention was spent looking at the various monitors set up on the wall in front of him, where he could watch the scientists doing his bidding at work throughout the massive factory that K.O.N.D.O.R. Industries now was.
His rise to wealth had admittedly not been smooth. Several times his own creations hadn't worked, and he'd had to take credit for other persons' creations. Perhaps the largest of these was his creation of NASA's basic rocket system in the 50s, where'd he'd set up his associate, a Dr. Black or Green or one of those colorful names that he couldn't remember anymore, for the failure of his own system. The guy had been fired and from what he'd last heard had become an insane crackpot. Catledge, meanwhile, had risen to the top, becoming one of the nations most respected scientists, providing basic technology to NASA and the Defense Department for huge sums, and getting numerous awards from various organizations for his efforts. His net worth was now about $100 billion, augmented by his control in the burgeoning computer industry up the road in Silicon Valley. He'd become powerful enough that he could command his own private guard and could influence elections in Hill County.
Of course, that had meant alienation from the rest of the normal world. His wife had left him in 1973, claiming he'd paid too much attention to work. Catledge couldn't have cared in the least. All his old associates had long since left him. His family was now his Newfoundland Haeckel, who lay at his feet, and the scientists and guards who worked for him. His agents went around the country annually, sucking up new talent to use for K.O.N.D.O.R., usually up and coming scientists or older discredited ones. Recent mass firings at Dynatechnics in Cleveland and Nova Robotics in Portland, Oregon had greatly swelled his staff. As they weren't allowed any contact with the outside world, their lives all but revolved around their work, which was just the way Catledge wanted it.
There was a knock on his door. "Enter," Catledge said lazily. Two people came into his office. The first was his top assistant Dr. Norman Gately, a blathering sycophant whose main qualifications for his position was that he wouldn't dream of challenging Catledge's authority. The other was his new valet, Biff Tannen, a whimpering loser who he'd picked up in Hill Valley after his automotive business had failed. "You're dinner's ready, Dr. Catledge," the foolish waste of life (as far as Catledge was concerned) said, setting his boss's tray of roast steak on the desk in front of him.
"Sir, we're ready to begin the time travel test, if you're ready," Dr. Gately said.
"Good, good," Catledge said, rubbing his hands in delight. Time travel had always been the one thing he'd wanted to achieve more than anything throughout his life. He knew that if he could master it, he could conceivably go into the past and make himself even more powerful, perhaps even president or more. His favorite film had been The Terminator two years ago, and he planned to perhaps figure out how to create terminators of his own if he was able to enforce his will on the pathetic populace. Recent additions to his staff had given him more power with robotics. He just needed the apparatus to be able to use it.
"Come on, Haeckel, we'll see if I've been given the jackpot here," he told his dog as he walked toward his private elevator. Biff picked up the tray and followed his boss into the elevator just as it closed. "You know, Dr. Catledge, I've been really interested in time travel," he told Catledge, who only slightly listened, "This one time, I thought I saw a flying DeLorean go past my..."
"Dr. Gately, is Dr. Fugett sure his system is foolproof?" Catledge asked his assistant, ignoring Biff.
"He says it is," Gately told him, "He did a run-through beforehand, and he said it went smoothly."
"I should hope it is," Catledge said darkly, "Or I'll make him pay for wasting my money for so long."
They stopped at the second floor, where they walked out onto a catwalk overlooking the main floor of the complex. Scientists milled here and there working on various contraptions. The object of Catledge's attention was a large black pyramid-shaped object near the far wall. "Dr. Marner," he addressed the nearest man on the catwalk, "Are we ready to go?"
"Ready when you ask, Dr. Catledge," Dr. Howard Marner said. He was a recent addition to Catledge's staff, having been brought on board on board after the recent Nova disaster. "Okay Jim, Dr. Catledge is ready," he called down to the scientist nearest the pyramid.
A silence fell over the building, everyone directing their attention to the mustached man. "Dr. Catledge," Dr. Jim Fugett announced to his superior, "Today, I will attempt to create what man has only dreamed for eons. With this device, I will travel one minute ahead in time."
Applause swept through the facility. "First," Dr. Fugett said, "I will need to use this," he held up a vial of some kind of green liquid. "I call it Timox," he told the other scientists, "It allows for temporal displacement to occur by pushing a hole into the envelope of time around us." He poured the Timox into an opening near the door of the pyramid. "Timox needs a catalyst to activate it and to power the contraption," he went on, "For this purpose I have installed a water turbine inside the time device that will serve both these purposes." He threw a lever that started up the turbine with a loud roar. Catledge smiled; everything was going great so far.
"I am now setting the displays to go one minute into the future," Dr. Fugett said, punching some displays on the big control panel, "Once I throw the main lever inside, I will be transported to 9:03 p.m. And now, I will attempt temporal displacement."
He climbed into the time machine and closed the door. Moments later, the lights along the sides of the pyramid started glowing as the machine revved to life. "Oh boy, here we go!" Biff shook in delight, spilling Catledge's coffee all over the catwalk, "This is history, I just...."
"Will you be quiet!"? Catledge snapped, "I'm trying to savor the moment!"
Just then alarm sirens went off as the time machine's clanking became more frantic. Smoke poured out of openings in the side. Moments later the cone of the pyramid exploded off, and the structure warped from intense heat into the shape of a tidal wave. Dr. Fugett stumbled out coughing as the emergency crews extinguish the fires. "Sorry Dr. Catledge," the scientist said up to his boss, "I think I misjudged the amount of water needed to cool..."
"You failed me, Fugett," Catledge said darkly, "I don't accept failure."
He withdrew a gun from his pocket. Most of the other scientists turned away, familiar with what was now going to happen. "No, please Dr. Catledge, give me another chance!" Dr. Fugett pleaded, "It was just a slight deviation! If you'll just give me...!"
A blast from Catledge's gun silenced him. "Everybody back to work!" Catledge growled at his employees, "I want another design submitted in three days and work begun on it. Tannen, Haeckel, we're going back upstairs!"
The scientists slowly turned back to their experiments. The phone started ringing in another room. "I'll get it, "Gately said, hustling over the catwalk toward it.
"Boy Dr. Catledge, you sure run a tight ship here," Marner said nervously to Catledge as he followed him and his entourage back to his elevator."
"Fear, Dr. Marner, "Catledge told him, "it keeps everyone working their hardest. And only the hardest work can yield results."
"Then I wonder why my business went under?" Biff wondered, "I worked hard."
"Well some of us have what it takes to work in the real world, Tannen, and some of us don't," Catledge grumbled. He picked up his roast steak from Biff's tray. "This is cold, go cook another one!" he ordered, tossing the now worthless steak to Haeckel.
"Dr. Catledge!" Gately stuck his head through the elevator door just before it closed, "I have some exciting news for you!""
"It better be," Catledge growled, "What?"
I just got off the phone with Dr. Farraday at NASA, sir; he has just made the discovery of a lifetime," Gately said grandly.
"And what might that be, Dr. Gately?" Catledge asked. Gately motioned his closer and whispered in his ear. Catledge's expression immediately brightened. "He's sure of this?" he asked his second in command.
"He's positive, sir, "Gately reassured him.
"Well this may be some good news after all," Catledge smiled. "Call him and tell him I'll be over as soon as possible."
"Right," Gately disappeared as the elevator door closed. "Tannen, ready my limo and tell the Hill County Airport to have my private jet up and running for departure in an hour," Catledge told Biff, "We're going to Cape Canaveral."
"Right away, Dr. Catledge," Biff ran down the hall to his quarters once they reached the boss's level.
"So what is this all about?" Marner asked Catledge as they entered his office.
"Dr. Marner, we've just come across a way of time travel," Catledge said in a bated breath, "We'll have some fine-tuning to do with it, but the technology is now ours...along with irrefutable proof."