Up until about a month ago, it seemed like the team of scientists who were attempting to repair the time travel machine had been making some slow but steady progress...However, over the past month, technical obstacles were being encountered that progressively became more difficult to overcome...It was already Friday, April the 8th, which was a day shy of two months since Clarence arrived to 1960, and there wasn't really much to show for two months of work on the machine. It was beginning to look like a decision was going to have to be made, in that the scientific know-how to repair the machine did not yet exist in that present day and time of 1960...And the team of scientists who had been attempting the repairs came to that conclusion out at the landing sight off of Highway 54, where Clarence had arrived in the time machine out behind the rock formation two months ago. Harold Wolf made the observation, "Over the past month we've worked on this machine, it's become obvious we're no longer getting anywhere with it". Woodrow Raccoon agreed, "We might as well face it, Harold. All we still know in this day and time is not sufficient to get this machine operational again". "Well...We tried. No one can say we didn't", Greg Otter said. "So Clarence is now a part of this up and coming generation, I take it", Johnny Ferret added. "Looks that way", Lenard Wolverine replied to Johnny. "He'll be growing up through the sixties". "I'm just glad Al and Marge had it in their hearts to adopt him", said Johnny. After a moment of solemn silence, Greg Otter spoke up and said, "Well, someone's going to have to break the news to Al and Marge...and Clarence...and the siblings". "Clarence once told me that he knows me from 2018, when I'll be 91 years old by then", Poindexter Fox said. "And I am a long time friend of the family...I should be the one to tell them". "That being the case, Clarence shouldn't take it as hard coming from you as it would be coming from one of us", Woodrow Raccoon said to Poindexter. So it was decided among the team members that Poindexter Fox should be the one to go break the bad news to the family that the time machine was irreparable according to the scientific knowledge that existed of that day and time. Now that the scientists had finally given up on repairing the machine, they made one last gathering up of the tools and equipment. Woodrow Raccoon rolled up the large pages of technical drawings and placed them in the trunk of his '58 Ford Edsel to take back to the lab. "We'll have to figure out a way to conceal this machine", Harold Wolf said. "It's going to be here for the next ten years". "We know we can't move it", said Lenard Wolverine. "How about constructing a garage building around it?", Greg Otter suggested. "I like that idea!", Harold Wolf exclaimed. "Greg. That idea is perfect". "And I have experience drawing building plans", Johnny Ferret offered. "But we will have to chip in money for building materials though". "We won't have to. We can have the lab issue a supply voucher for those building materials", said Lenard Wolverine. "Isaac Hyena and I know a few animals in the accounting department. Him and I can convince them to assign the materials to a project". "That will work", Harold Wolf told Lenard Wolverine. "How soon can you get with those animals you know in accounting?" "As soon as we get back to the lab", Lenard replied. "The sooner the better", said Harold Wolf. "Anything could happen over the next ten years...The time to get a utility building erected around this machine is before the public knows about it...or another cub has a catastrophe with it". "Let's hope who ever owns this stretch of land doesn't wonder what we're going to be building on it", Johnny Ferret mentioned. "I doubt whoever owns this land has ever been by to see it in the last ten or fifteen years anyway", Lenard Wolverine said. "And that's provided if it's ever been deeded out to anyone before", Woodrow Raccoon added. "It's likely that no one still owns this land", said Harold Wolf. "No improvements as far as the eye can see, except for the highway, railroad and power lines". Then, Harold Wolf pressed the outside control button for the time machine's door, which was to be for the last time for the next ten years to come...It seemed so different this last time hearing the >hum< of the door motors of the machine sliding the door closing, the >clank< of the door seating shut, and the >click< of the latches locking the door secure. "Will that energy reactor still be going when we come back to fix this machine ten years from now?", Johnny Ferret asked. "That reactor is built to keep running for two hundred years", Woodrow Raccoon answered Johnny Ferret. As everyone began leaving the time machine to walk back to their cars, something dawned on Poindexter Fox...He got to wondering if his uncle, who is a very well renowned scientist, could solve the problems they've been encountering with the machine. On his way to his '56 Nash, Poindexter thought to himself for a moment, "My Uncle Nickolas was never involved on Project Courier though...But what if he can help us get this machine operational again, and here we are just now giving up on it?...Then, if my uncle does take a go at it, and like us, is not successful, then no harm would come of it. It'worth a try". Poindexter stopped just before everyone got to their cars, and called, "Harold. Hold up a minute". "What is it, Poindexter?", Harold asked. Poindexter suggested, "My Uncle. Professor Nickolas Fox. Certainly he can give it a try helping us fix the time machine". "Hold up, everyone", Harold Wolf called to the others, then called them over to where he and Poindexter were. "How knoweledgeable is your uncle in the theories and related physics of time travel?", Harold Wolf asked Poindexter Fox as the others overheard Harold's question. "I do know my uncle does possess a good working knowledge of it. But to what extent, I'm not sure", Poindexter answered. "I know he is often involved with Area 51 project work out at Groom Lake. And universities have asked him to teach doctor's degree level classes and deliver lectures". "I am aware Professor Fox has taught and lectured at universities", Harold Wolf acknoweledged. "But he's never told me he was doing work at Groom Lake". "I'm on board with Poindexter about getting Professor Nickolas Fox out here to check the machine out", Woodrow Raccoon told Harold Wolf. "Although I'm not optimistic this thing can be fixed, it is worth a shot to have your uncle see if anything can be done for it", Greg Otter said to Poindexter. "Maybe this machine won't have to be here over the next ten years after all", Johnny Ferret added. "Then maybe Clarence and his friends in 2018 will leave machines like this alone from now on...Or I mean from then on", Lenard Wolverine added. Everyone agreed if the obstacles to repairing the machine can be overcome, Nickolas Fox would most likely be able get the repair project back on track...And if he couldn't, then no one can...Not until the end of the decade anyway. Thus, Harold Wolf, the senior scientist out at the time machine's landing site, announced to the repair team, "We've done all we can do out here for now. The sooner we get back to the lab complex, the sooner I can contact Professor Fox". As everyone drove out to leave, Woodrow Raccoon kept a look out for approaching cars down both ends of the long, desolate straight away of Highway 54, so curious motorists don't see the cars leaving...During that time Johnny Ferret was sweeping away the car tire tracks in the sand leading back behind the rock formation to the time machine. After everyone but Woodrow Raccoon and Johnny Ferret had left, Woodrow got another broom and helped Johnny sweep over the tire tracks. Once the tracks were swept away, Woodrow kept a look out down Highway 54 so Johnny Ferret can pull out with his '58 Chevy without being seen. Then Woodrow Raccoon gave a final look down highway 54 before hurrying back to his '58 Edsel and quickly pulling out as the last one to leave without being seen...Of course, there were the tire tracks of two cars left behind, which was not as bad as the tracks left by six cars.
______________________________ It was about 1:30 in the afternoon, when Harold Wolf, Poindexter Fox and the others returned to the lab from the landing site. "I still suggest going ahead with enclosing a building around the machine", Woodrow Raccoon said to Harold Wolf. "We all know anyone could have discovered that machine in the past two months also. And we still don't know how long it will take to get the machine fixed". "You've made a good point there, Woodrow", Harold replied. "Johnny", Harold Wolf called. "Yes", Johnny Ferret replied. "How soon can you draw up plans for a 24 foot by 24 foot utility building?" Harold asked Johnny. "It doesn't have to be pretty. Just as long as we have a set of plans to go by". "Type of materials?...Windows? doors?", Johnny Ferret asked. "We can't have windows for curiosity seekers to peer into", Harold Wolf replied. "If we're still working on that machine by summer, we'll need windows", Lenard Wolverine pointed out. Woodrow Raccoon then said, "I suggest...oh I'd say 12 foot wide...heavy gauge, steel, roll up doors on three sides". "Twelve foot wide doors on three sides would take too much structure out of a building that size", said Johnny Ferret. "Not to mention one of those walls with a door in it will be a load bearing wall. I'd go eight". "Eight foot wide doors on three sides it is then", Harold Wolf said. "And I want to see commercial grade sheet metal on the roof and all four sides". "Wood frame would be easy for us to work with too", Johnny Ferret suggested. "Wood frame with commercial steel exterior", said Harold Wolf. If you know that will work, Johnny, I'm okay with that. "I should have something drawn up in an hour, give or take", Johnny said as he went to lay out some blank drawing pages on an engineering table, with a pencil, a scale-rule, straight edge and a square to begin. "Lenard. Accounting should still be open", Harold Wolf said, "Go find Isaac Hyena and see what you two can do about convincing them to getting us a voucher for those building materials". "I'm right on it", Lenard Wolverine replied. "Now you do know that Isaac knows nothing about what Project Courier is". "If Isaac has any questions, have him come see me", Harold told Lenard. "You got it", Lenard Wolverine replied as he went to look for Isaac Hyena. Johnny Ferret then called Harold Wolf over to where he was beginning the drawings. "What is it, Johnny?", Harold Wolf asked. "You know we can't have a concrete footer", said Johnny. "Gosh no. You're right", Harold Wolf replied. "We can't have a concrete truck driver seeing that machine". "I figured on an above ground footer of two layers of retired railroad ties, spiked together and overlapping each other. That will be strong enough to build off of", Johnny Ferret suggested. "And they'd run continuously under the roll up doors so the footer will be a one piece ridged square". "Two railroad ties on top one another would make awfully high thresholds under the doors to step over...But as long as it anchors the building okay, I'm okay with that", Harold Wolf assured Johnny Ferret. "I was thinking of building up the grade at the thresholds to form walk up ramps", Johnny Ferret added. "Good idea", Harold replied. "But let's focus on getting the building up first". Al Coyote took a break from a project design he and some others were engineering, and came over and asked Harold Wolf, "I noticed an urgency to do a building project. What's going on?". "We're concealing the Project Courier craft with a utility building built around it to prevent anyone from discovering it", Harold Wolf answered. "Now that's a smart move. I like that idea", said Al. "That's what I said to Greg Otter when he suggested it", Harold said, then asked Al, "Al, you got a few moments?" "Yea. sure", Al replied. "We have some news for you. We figured it best for Poindexter to tell you", Harold Wolf told Al. "It's about project Courier", Poindexter Fox said to Al. "Good news or bad news?", Al asked, already knowing that things haven't been going good with the repair attempts lately. "It's a little of both", Poindexter answered. "Let's go over there where no one's working so I can tell you what's going on". Al and Poindexter made their way over to a vacant work bench with two bench stools near it. As Al and Poindexter took a seat on the stools, Poindexter told Al, "Al...Today we had finally come to the conclusion that until technology of ten years from now exists, that machine can not be fixed". "It's that system for the machine to establish that time avenue you all once told me about, isn't it?", Al asked. "That's the very thing...And those vendor parts from RCA and GE that don't exist yet also", Poindexter said. "Yea, those", Al replied. "Some of them we were able to determine what they do and what they're for, thus we've been able to improvise replacements for them", Poindexter explained. "But some of them we can't get readings off of because of them being burnt out...Without electrical values to begin back-engineering from, we have no idea what they're meant to do". Al sighed and said, "Well, this came as no surprise to me...I guess Clarence is a son of Marge and I for keeps now". "Well, the machine is not completely a loss yet", Poindexter assured Al. "Remember I did say there is good news. We're going to try to get my Uncle Nickolas out here to see if he can solve the problems we've been having". "I've heard quite a bit about your Uncle Nickolas", Al Coyote said to Poindexter. "I doubt anyone here at Horizon can rival his expertise scientific knowledge". "You are correct, Mr. Al", said Poindexter. "Even Alberto Stiener Otter and my Uncle Nickolas had enjoyed many intelligent discussions together...And about things that go way over my head. "Being your uncle has engaged in those intelligent discussions with the Otter who formulated E=MC2, that in itself right there has given me renewed optimism about getting that machine operational again", Al told Poindexter. "Also my thoughts exactly", Poindexter agreed. "Poindexter. Your uncle's on line five", Harold Wolf came over and said. "He said you can talk to him about this better than we can". "Well, excuse me a moment Mr. Al", Poindexter Fox said as he made his way to the phone and picked up. "Hello, Uncle", Poindexter Fox said. "Hello there, Dexter" Nickolas Fox replied. "And how's my junior scientist doing today?". "Pretty good", Poindexter answered. "Considering". "Is this a secure line we're on?". Nickolas Fox asked. "Yes it is", Poindexter answered. "On this line, no one can listen in from another phone without knowing the code used to dial the call". Then Nickolas Fox said to his nephew, "Harold Wolf tells me one of the fellow scientists where you work, and his wife, adopted a coyote cub who came from 2018 in a time travel machine. And if I understood Harold correctly, the machine sustained damage during the journey through time on the cub's way here". "Yes it did, Uncle", Poindexter replied. "And rather substantial damage at that". "I'm told this machine is built in the year 1970...ten years from now...And you all are having difficulty knowing how to repair it with present day technology", Nickolas further told Poindexter. "There's a system in which we believe the machine establishes a time avenue to navigate through", Poindexter Fox said. "So far, we've had no understanding of what makes it work. And parts of that system are among what's been damaged in that machine". "The time warp pilot actuator", Nickolas Fox affirmed to his nephew. "Wow! You seem to already know what that is, Uncle", Poindexter exclaimed with much surprise. "Okay, Poindexter...I'm not suppose to be telling you this", Nickolas said as he lowered the volume of his voice. "But under these unusual circumstances, I will tell you...Out here at Area 51, I and other scientists who work for us have engaged in experiments where we have succeeded in sending objects through time". "You all have a time travel machine?", Poindexter asked as he looked around to be sure that anyone not involved on Project Courier was listening". "No...Don't get your hopes up too high, Poindexter", Nickolas Fox told his nephew. "All it is so far is a table with a circle of time warp panels set up that can send small objects through time. And there are still limitations of only a few hours into the past or the future we can send things". "At least you have achieved that technology already", Poindexter replied. "That's a start. "As you say, it is a start. And I'm sure they'll be much useful knowledge to be gained by actually seeing that machine you all have there", said Nickolas Fox. "I personally know two others on this project who I can trust. I'm going to arrange giving them some paid leave time to accompany me to where your time machine is". "We all will appreciate that", Poindexter replied. "Especially Clarence Coyote. "Clarence...I take it he's that coyote cub from the future", Nickolas Fox inquired of Poindexter. "That's him", Poindexter replied. As the conversation continued between Poindexter Fox and his Uncle Nickolas, Nicolas Fox had the two scientists who were to come with him from the Area 51 project come to the phone and talk with Poindexter. One of the other scientists at Area 51, a female, Lola Binturong, asked Poindexter Fox, "No one at Roswell knows about any of this, do they?". "Thankfully not", Poindexter answered. "That's a relief", said Lola. "If Roswell ever found out about that machine, it would be a disaster". While that conversation continued, Lenard Wolverine reported to Harold Wolf that everything's a go for accounting granting the building materials voucher. "They said as soon as Johnny gets the plans drawn up, and we can provide them with a list of materials we need, they'll issue the voucher", Lenard Wolverine said. "Great. Everything's right on track", Harold replied. "And I appreciate you and Isaac pulling the strings for us with accounting". "Having some friends who work there does help", Lenard affirmed. "Oh, by the way. How's it going with getting Poindexter's uncle out here?". "Poindexter's on the phone with him now", said Harold Wolf. "Harold", Poindexter called to Harold Wolf. "My uncle wants you back on the phone". "Whatcha got, Nick?", Harold said as he picked up the phone. "Okay, Harold", Nickolas Fox began to explain. "I'm going to come over to see what can be done getting that machine fixed. I can be there this coming Monday at noon. "Monday at noon will work. We greatly appreciate that, Nick", said Harold Wolf. "No problem", Nickolas Fox replied. "After two months of you all being unsuccessful repairing that machine on your own, I don't see you all getting it operational anytime soon. The two other scientists are coming with me, Lola Binturong and Daren Margay. I've spoken with my fellow share holders about giving them some paid leave time to come with me. We agreed to allow them the time off...And as you already know, I myself am part owner of our laboratory. I can take time off as I see fit". "I take it they too are knowledgeable in time travel theory and physics", Harold inquired. Nickolas Fox then told Harold Wolf, "Lola Binturong and Daren Margay are engaged in experiments we've been conducting here at Area 51, where we have been sending small objects several hours through time". "So you've actually succeeded in that!", Harold Wolf exclaimed. "I can see that expertise being of great help to us". "I'm confident We'll also gain useful knowledge from seeing the machine which we can apply to our work at Area 51", Nickolas Fox affirmed, then told Harold, "Now as I already discussed with Poindexter, I was not suppose to have told you about us sending objects through time at Area 51. However, if we're to work as a team getting the time machine repaired, it's inevitable you and the others will have to eventually know anyway". "I can assure you that information is safe among us", Harold Wolf said to Nickolas Fox as the conversation continued. Before they hung up, Harold Wolf said to Nickolas Fox, "You'll need a security code to get into the lab...I'll make that 5, 3, 3, 7, 4...and 1". "I take it that code will be ready for Lola, Daren and I when we arrive after the week end?", Nickolas asked. "My supervisor knows about Project Courier, but he doesn't yet know that the time machine is presently here in 1960", said Harold Wolf. "If I have difficulty getting him to authorize security to set that number I just gave you for the entry keypad, I know he will if I explain to him there's a cub who has to get back home to the 21st Century". "Well, if you have to tell him, you'll have to", Nickolas Fox replied. "But hopefully, it won't have to come to that". "Yea, the fewer who know about it if we can help it, the better", said Harold. "I'll see you at noon Monday", said Nickolas. "See you then", Harold Wolf replied as they hung up. "It sounds good from what I was hearing", said Al. "It is", Poindexter replied to Al. "There are two other scientists accompanying my uncle who have been conducting experiments sending small objects through time". "Sounds interesting", said Al. "So this pursuit of being able to travel through time is now more common than anyone knows". "Has been over the past decade", Poindexter replied. "Our technical drawings for the machine Clarence arrived in began in the early fifties...Of course getting to stages of completion is only possible as technological advances would allow". "You've once said the drawings are still incomplete even now", Al mentioned. "Your endeavors seem to be ahead of technology". "And from what we now know, the drawings will be incomplete until shortly before the beginning of 1970", said Poindexter. "Though our endeavors are ahead of technology, that's also what spawns technology". "Makes sense", Al replied. "Need being the mother of invention". After the conversation, Al went back to the engineering project he was engaged on...And at about 2:10, Johnny Ferret finally got some roughly drawn plans of the 24 x 24 utility building finished, and to the specs that everyone agreed on. "They're a little sketchy, but here they are", Johnny Ferret said as he called the others to see the drawings. "That's perfect. That will work", Harold Wolf said as began looking over the drawings. "Like I said, I wasn't worried about them looking pretty". As Harold Wolf and the others began compiling a list of materials, Johnny Ferret mentioned, "For the old railroad ties, the Santa Fe rail yard in Vaughn will sell them cheaper than what the building supply stores are selling them for". "Might be true", Woodrow Raccoon told Johnny Ferret. "But Horizon Innovations doesn't have a voucher account with the Santa Fe Railroad. They do with hardware and building supply stores within a 75 mile radius of here". Once the list was complete, it was given to Lenard Wolverine to take to accounting to get the supply voucher. "Oh, and have them include claw hammers, and dirt working tools including a few picks on that voucher", Harold said to Lenard. "As for levels, tape measures, sheet metal snips, ladders, squares, the lab has those...And we'll need crosscut saws". "We'll need a sledge hammer. It will take 18 inch parking stop spikes to put those railroad ties together", said Johnny Ferret. "And we'll also need a chalk line...Builder's line and a line level". "Add a sledge hammer, a chalk line, a roll of builder's line and a line level to that", Harold told Lenard. "Oh, and tongs or something to hold the spikes in place with. I don't need anyone out there getting a paw smashed with a sledge hammer". "Here, let me write this stuff down", Lenard Wolverine said as he got a pencil from a nearby work bench and listed the items on the reverse side of the materials list, as not to forget anything. "We also need a chain saw to trim some of the railroad ties to size", said Johnny Ferret. "I've got a chain saw at home I can bring", said Lenard Wolverine. "Cutting on those ties might gum up the chain and bar a bit", Johnny Ferret advised Lenard Wolverine. "Oh then! As you said, Johnny. We need a chain saw", Lenard Wolverine affirmed. Harold Wolf had Lenard Wolverine wait up, then asked Johnny Ferret, "How many of those parking lot spikes will you need?". "Oh, I guess about 60", Johnny answered. "I'll make it 80", Harold Wolf said, "I don't want to guess". Then Harold phoned a hardware store in Vaughn and asked the manager, "Hello, Justin. How soon can you get me 80 parking stop spikes. 18 inch. It's urgent we get them as soon as we can"...knowing it wouldn't be an in-stock idem. "We can have them here tomorrow morning, Harold", the store manager answered. Harold thanked the store manager, and said, "I'm having someone pick them up as soon as you get them in." Harold then had Lenard add 80 quantity, 18 inch parking stop spikes to the list then sent him to go see accounting. As Lenard Wolverine began making his way to accounting, Harold Wolf told Johnny Ferret, "Go with Lenard in case you think of anything else we might need...But no power tools. You know we don't have the electricity out there to run them". "Okay", Johnny replied as he left with Lenard Wolverine. It wasn't long before Lenard and Johnny returned with the voucher everyone needed, along with a pad containing invoice forms for each of the purchases to give to the managers at building supply stores to fill out for billing purposes. Before getting off from work that day, Al mentioned to Poindexter that he will continue to tell Marge and the family that everything with the time machine is okay...Poindexter replied that it was a good idea not upsetting the family with the bad news, unless it does become known for sure that the machine can't be fixed.
______________________________ SATURDAY, APRIL 9TH Now that Harold Wolf and the others had the voucher, it was agreed by everyone to begin construction on the utility building around the time machine that Saturday, April 9th, which was exactly two months to the day since Clarence arrive to 1960...Being April already, it was to be a pleasant day with temperatures in the upper 70s. As Harold, Lenard, Woodrow, Johnny, Poindexter and Greg phoned each other that Saturday morning to meet up at the site, and get the materials to begin work on the building, they began to realize one dilemma though...No one on the team owned a truck to haul building materials with...It was just assumed by everyone that surely someone owns or has access to a truck or a station wagon; Greg Otter drives a 1959 Oldsmobile. Greg's sons, Danny and Jeff, have a '58 Studebaker Golden Hawk, and a '57 T-Bird. Woodrow Raccoon drives a 1958 Ford Edsel. Lenard Wolverine drives a 1959 Buick Invicta. Lenard's wife drives a '57 Buick Special. Poindexter Fox drives a 1956 Nash Ambassador. When Poindexter's Uncle Nickolas arrives Monday, he'll be driving a 1959 Rambler six equipped with the Rebel V-8. https://www.google.com/search?q=1959+rambler+six&hl...: Harold Wolf drives a 1957 Chrysler DeSoto Harold's wife drives '59 Plymouth Sport Fury. Johnny Ferret drives a 1958 Chevy Impala Johnny's fiancee drives a '60 Sunbeam Alpine two seat sports car. https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&authuser=0&...: It was the classic, "I don't own a truck. I thought maybe you had one". Al and Marge, who also knew of the machine, drives a 1960 Chrysler 300...None of those cars were suitable for hauling building materials...Not to mention, wait until they have to haul trusses for 24 foot span...17 of them (16" o.c. as was common back in those days). Al and Marge's neighbors, Frank and Wanda Coyote, has that 1955 Chevy station wagon, which would have been ideal for hauling building materials...But Frank and Wanda were not among those who knew of the time machine. The parents of Ryan and Janice Lynx has a red and white 1959 Chevy Impala station wagon that could haul the building materials...But that family knew nothing of the time machine either. Most building supply stores offered delivery service...But that would mean a truck driver working for the building supply store seeing the time machine...And having an in-store delivery driver let the truck be unloaded near the highway, and the materials walked to behind the rock formation, wasn't even a workable option either...Unloading the truck would take so long, that cars with curious occupants would be bound to come along Highway 54 during that time...Not to mention the truck driver would eventually get curious as to what's back there. Of course, there were times that Horizon Innovations would have utility buildings at remote test sites in the desert...But those utility buildings were always contracted out to builders, and before any classified items were present on those sites...However, this was not the case for the Harold, Lenard, Woodrow, Johnny, Poindexter and Greg. They were going to have to build that utility building themselves. Still early that Saturday morning, at Greg Otter's house, Marie Otter suggested, "Greg. Does it have to be a truck or a wagon? Would renting a U Haul trailer work?". "That would work being our car has a hitch", Greg replied to his wife, Marie. Greg and Marie has a small boat they go fishing in on some days off, thus their '59 Olds has a trailer hitch for the boat trailer. "I'm glad you thought of that, Marie", Greg said as he got on the phone to call the others. Harold, Lenard, Woodrow, Johnny and Poindexter wondered why no one thought of renting a trailer earlier as Greg Otter phoned and told them of the idea. "I can't begin to tell how dumb that makes me feel that I didn't think of that", Johnny Ferret told Greg Otter over the phone. "It was Marie who put me onto the idea of renting a trailer", Greg admitted. The nearest place to rent a U-Haul trailer was in Santa Rosa (which the others agreed to chip in on the $2 per day rent). So arrangements were made for Greg to pick up a trailer, then have Lenard Wolverine meet him at a building supply store there in Santa Rosa to pick up the retired railroad ties for the footer, sledge hammer, long handle tongs, dirt working tools, line level, builder's line, and a chain saw (and a bottle of 2 stroke oil and bar lube) to trim some of the ties to length. When the cashier, a female kinkajou, rang up the total, Lenard presented the voucher and a triplicate invoice form for the store manager. "You guys at Horizon building your own test site building this time?" the store manager, a Labrador retriever, asked as he was filling out the billing invoice. "We have to this time. We have something really classified going on out there", Greg Otter replied. "Aw, now you went and got my curiosity going. But I know I shouldn't ask what it is", the Labrador said as he signed and checked off on the voucher those items which are already purchased. "We can't tell anyone what it is anyway", Greg replied as he and the Labrador smiled. The Labrador then said to Greg and Lenard, "Take this receipt to the yard, and they'll get you loaded up". "They're going to hang out a bit", Lenard Wolverine said of the ties once they were loaded. "Long as it will get them out there", Greg replied. The U Haul trailers that were available were open 4x7s, thus two feet of the nine foot ties would overhang the back of the trailer, with the drop gate roped to hold it up off the road. Because of the load weight overhanging beyond the rear of the trailer (making it back heavy), Greg had to keep his speed down so the the trailer won't jack side to side going down the highway. While going through Vaughn on the way to the time machine, Greg Otter and Lenard Wolverine made a stop at that hardware store that had the 80 parking stop spikes, at 18 inches, that Harold Wolf ordered Friday...which were loaded into the trunk of Lenard's '59 Buick, being that Greg's '59 Olds already had some of the other supplies in the trunk. Harold Wolf, Woodrow Raccoon, Johnny Ferret and Poindexter Fox were already waiting for Greg Otter and Lenard Wolverine where the time machine is shortly before noon...And once Greg Otter and Lenard Wolverine arrived, work promptly began on making a level, 24 foot x 24 foot, square perimeter for the above ground footer. And with plenty of daylight left, the team worked on spiking the footer together, with one animal using the sledge hammer, another animal holding each spike with the tongs, and the four other animals holding a top tie steady so it wouldn't bounce around when the spikes were being driven in. By day's end, the footer was complete, surrounding the time machine, and ready to build on when they start getting the lumber.
______________________________ SUNDAY, APRIL 10TH There wasn't much Harold Wolf and the others could do on a Sunday being that the hardware stores and building supply places were closed on Sundays, thus, they couldn't buy any lumber that day. They were also fortunate Greg Otter's wife suggested renting a U Haul trailer as early in the day as she did...That was because on Saturdays, the hardware stores and building supply places were open only for half a day.
______________________________ MONDAY, APRIL 11TH On Monday morning, only four animals, Lenard Wolverine, Woodrow Raccoon, Johnny Ferret and Greg Otter went out to begin erecting the wall framing of the building around the time machine...It was good Greg Otter was among the four because Greg's car was the only car among the cars the others owned that had a hitch and can pull the U Haul trailer to pick up more building materials. And it was good Johnny Ferret was there as he was the most skilled of all of them in building construction. And Lenard Wolverine had been assigned control of the supply voucher, thus Lenard would ride with Greg on runs to get more materials with that little 4x7 U Haul trailer...This morning, it would be a load of studs and other 2x4s, and later going back out for a 2nd smaller load...It was already 50 degrees that morning, with temperatures expected to get up around 80. Poindexter Fox and Harold Wolf stayed at the lab that morning...Poindexter was to meet his uncle, Professor Nickolas Fox when he was to arrive at noon from Area 51 with Lola Binturong and Daren Margay. And Harold Wolf had to get the lab manager, Nathan Collie, to authorize security activate that entry code he created for Nickolas Fox on Friday...Activating that entry code, 533741, would have taken some persuading to do...However, once Harold convinced Nathan Collie the entry code was for Professor Nickolas Fox, entry code #-533741 was activated with no further delay...However, Nathan Collie had begun to question why Harold Wolf and the others had been taking so much time away from the lab over the past two months. And Nathan hadn't yet known about the voucher that was issued to charge building materials to the lab, nor was he aware of Clarence's arrival in the time machine. It was right at noon when Professor Nickolas Fox arrived with Lola Binturong and Daren Margay. Nickolas Fox, being of rather short and stocky stature for a fox, had no difficulty gaining entry into the lab building with the entry code #-533741. "How's my nephew Poindexter?", Nickolas Fox greeted Poindexter, as Lola and Daren followed in. "Outside of the difficulty we've discussed over the phone, otherwise doing quite well, Uncle", Poindexter replied. Other scientists came over to greet Professor Nickolas Fox, counting it an honor considering how renowned he is in the scientific community. Nickolas Fox then introduced Lola Binturong and Daren Margay to the other scientists, though some of the scientists have met Lola and Daren a time or two before. "Glad you can make it, Professor", Harold Wolf greeted. "Glad to be here", Nickolas Fox replied as he and Harold shook paws. "Before we discuss anything, we need a secure place in which to talk", Lola Binturong mentioned. "There's a vacant area by that engineering table", Harold Wolf pointed out. "It needs to be closed door", said Nickolas Fox. "This is some really high level stuff". "Do you have a conference room or some place, maybe?", Daren Margay asked. It was then that manager Nathan Collie came out to greet, well renowned, Professor Nickolas Fox. "It's an honor meeting you Professor Fox", Nathan Collie said, then asked, "I'm hearing about the use of a conference room?". "Our guests want to speak to Poindexter and I in private", Harold Wolf assured Nathan Collie, as Nickolas Fox nodded in agreement. "That would normally be of no immediate concern to me", Nathan Collie replied to Harold. "Except that you, Poindexter and four others have been away a lot the past two months...Where are the other four anyway?" "We'll have to tell him, Harold", said Nickolas Fox. "But not here". "Tell me what?", Nathan asked. "Lately, I seemed to have been missing some things here". "It's high level classified, Sir", Lola Binturong told Nathan. "It can't be discussed out here". "Okay...We can make use of my office", Nathan Collie replied. Just as every began making their way to Nathan Collie's office, Harold Wolf said to Nathan, "Al Coyote should present. This does concern him too". Nathan got the attention of a nearby scientist, Trevor Mink, and said to him, "Trevor. I'm going to conduct a conference in my office. I'll need Al Coyote to be present. Go get him, please". "Alright. I'll get him", Trevor Mink replied. "Nathan Collie lead the way into the office, followed by Lola Binturong, Daren Margay, Poindexter Fox, Professor Nickolas Fox and Harold Wolf. "We'll wait until Al gets here", said Nathan. "I was told you called for me, Sir", Al said to Nathan as he arrived. "Come on in, Al. And close the door behind you", Nathan instructed. Once the door was closed, and everyone was seated, Nathan Collie asked, "Okay... Can anyone tell me what's going on here? And where Greg, Lenard, Woodrow and Johnny are right now?". "Nathan", Harold Wolf addressed Nathan Collie. "You do know for the past several years, we've been developing the design and technical drawings for Project Courier". "Yes", Nathan replied. "But I don't recall Al Coyote being involved in that project". "Actually, Sir. The project involved him", Harold Wolf explained. "Would you believe me if I told you an eight year old coyote cub arrived from the year 2018 in the Project Currier craft. And it's here right now just off of Highway 54 south of Vaughn". Nathan Collie was speechless for a moment. "My wife and I took that cub in and adopted him", Al confirmed to Nathan. "The craft is in bad need of repair, and he's stranded here in the present until the machine can be fixed. That's where Greg Otter and the others are right now". "Harold called Lola, Daren and myself to assist them in the repairs", Nickolas affirmed. "You mean...to tell me...an eight year old cub...piloted that craft here from 2018!", Nathan Collie exclaimed. "I've seen those drawings many times. It takes someone who knows what they're doing to operate a craft like that!". "That's just it", said Harold Wolf. "He didn't know what he was doing. That why the craft is damaged". "Clarence came here...", Al began. "Clarence?", Nathan interrupted. "The cub. His name is Clarence", Al told Nathan. "Clarence came here by accident. According to his account, he was fooling around with it in 2018, and unintentionally set the machine into motion". "Poindexter?", Nathan Collie asked. "All one hundred percent true, Sir", Poindexter affirmed. Daren Margay interjected, "Cubs certainly are curious critters. I guess that won't have changed by 2018". "Well...", said Nathan Collie. "One thing that gives this any credibility is the fact that it is a time travel craft that's being designed here...But my concern is now...if what you're saying is actually true, how many animals riding down Highway 54 are seeing that machine everyday?". "It's landed behind a rock formation out of view of the Highway", Harold assured Nathan. "I've seen that rock formation many times driving along Highway 54", said Nathan. "I know exactly where that's at". "As an added precaution, I've also authorized a supply voucher last Friday for materials to erect a utility building around the machine so no one on foot will eventually find it", Harold Wolf told Nathan Collie. "The four who are not here now are building it as we now speak". "Well, I'm glad you did. And it's a wise move", Nathan replied. "But I am glad you told me now before invoices billed to the lab from hardware stores arrived, and I would be wondering what they're for". Then Nathan Collie leaned back in the chair at his desk, and said, "It just sounds so incredible', then continued, "You know. Before you told me about this, I was beginning to worry that some of you may have been selling secrets to a Soviet agent". "We'd never do that", Al Coyote assured Nathan as the others agreed. Nickolas Fox even said, "I'd have too much to loose getting caught doing something that stupid...And I wouldn't even dream of committing an act of treason against our great country anyway". "We can take you out to where the machine is right now", Harold Wolf offered Nathan Collie. "I'd like to see that machine", Nathan Collie took Harold Wolf up on the offer. "Let's go". "Now?", Harold Wolf asked. "Now", Nathan Collie affirmed. With all that said and done, everyone left the office and headed out to their cars to go out to the time machine. Before leaving the lab, Harold Wolf explained the procedure to Nickolas Fox, Lola Binturong, Daren Margay and Nathan Collie, of how they make sure no cars are in sight before pulling in, and having someone posted as look out when everyone leaves...And that everyone parks their cars out of sight of the highway. Harold Wolf lead the way in his '57 DeSoto. Followed by Al Coyote in his '60 Chrysler 300. Then Poindexter Fox in his '56 Nash Ambassador. Followed by Uncle Nickolas Fox in his '59 Rambler six, with Lola Binturong and Daren Margay riding with him. Then followed by Nathan Collie in his '60 Mercury Montclair. https://www.google.com/search?q=1960+mercury+montclair&...: After the 14 miles east along 60, and several miles south on 54, luck was in their favor that there were no other cars in sight on Highway 54 as they approached the time machine landing site. As they drove around behind the rock formation, Nickolas Fox, Lola Binturong and Daren Margay were amazed over seeing the time travel machine for the first time...and with four wall frames already built around it. "Coming along good", Harold Wolf said to Greg Otter, Woodrow Raccoon, Lenard Wolverine and Johnny Ferret, who have just then completed nailing up the stringers to attach the sheet metal on the four wall frames they've completed erecting a while earlier. "We're beginning to feel like a carpenter crew", Lenard Wolverine jested. "I was beginning to feel like a general contractor for a while there", Harold Wolf replied. "It really is true", Nathan Collie said, as he could barely believe his own eyes as he drove around behind the rock formation and recognized the time machine from tech drawings he had seen so many times before...To Nathan, it felt as though the machine had jumped right out of one of the pages of the tech drawings. "So this is the machine", Nickolas Fox said as he met with Woodrow Raccoon and Lenard Wolverine, and as Johnny Ferret and Greg Otter were climbing down from ladders after nailing the last of the upper top plate of the four walls of the building. "I barely believed it until now that I am actually seeing it", Nathan Collie said after he got out of his car. "So Nathan knows the machine is here", Johnny Ferret said as he finally stepped down from the bottom rung of the ladder. "He does now", Al replied. "It's amazing", Nathan said as he stepped in through a doorway of the building framework, high stepping over the railroad tie footer. As Nathan Collie pressed the exterior button to open the door of the machine, then looked inside, Nickolas Fox, Daren Margay and Lola Binturong came over for a look. The ceiling to floor, tubular, energy reactor inside the center still had the cobalt bean glowing through it as the aqua coloured energy rings surrounding the cobalt beam ran from both ends of the reactor through each other. "Until your nephew suggested we call you last Friday, we had made the decision to give up on the machine until 1970 technology comes into being", Woodrow Raccoon told Nickolas Fox. "Some kind of energy generator seems to still be working", said Nickolas Fox. "It's the energy reactor", Harold Wolf replied. "It's the total power source for the craft". "I so much as figured it was", Nickolas Fox said as he viewed over the dismantled parts inside the time machine. Harold Wolf, Lenard Wolverine, Woodrow Raccoon, Johnny Ferret, Greg Otter and Nickolas' nephew Poindexter Fox, told Nickolas Fox how repairs were at least manageable at first, but within the past month they could no longer get anything done with it. Nickolas Fox then climbed into the time machine, and told Daren Margay, "Daren. The keys to my car are in the ignition. Open the trunk and have one of the others help you bring my tools and test equipment here". "Okay", Daren Margay replied as he went to the car. Harold Wolf got the tech drawings from the trunk of his '57 DeSoto and took them to the machine to give to Nickolas Fox. As Daren Margay placed the box of tools and equipment up on the floor of the machine, Nickolas Fox said, "I'm going to need technical help from some of you who designed this craft". Woodrow Raccoon, Greg Otter and Harold Wolf, having a more thorough understanding of the machine, climbed in with Nickolas Fox to assist him. "Lenard. Bring our tools and test equipment from my car", said Harold Wolf. "Nickolas Fox wasted no time running diagnostics on the machine, and asking questions to the others as to the concepts they had in mind about how the machine was designed...Even then, they were dealing with a machine built in the future year of 1970. "Lola. I'm going to need your help in here", Nickolas said to Lola Binturong as Lenard Wolverine placed the Horizon Innovations tool and equipment up on the floor of the craft. Lola Binturong now climbed into the machine, in which her expertise helping to send small objects through time out at Area 51 will now be of immense help in the repair efforts on the time machine...However, the time machine's design being different from the area 51 project still felt somewhat foreign to her. There were some aspects of the machine Poindexter Fox was best qualified in, thus he remained near the craft, ready to give assistance when needed. Lenard Wolverine and Johnny Ferret stood near the door of the craft and wrote notations and jotted sketches as was needed. Al Coyote not being involved on Project Courier, and being that Nathan Collie pretty much managed the project more than he had actual paws on, Al and Nathan watched. At one point, Nickolas Fox requested a thorough explanation of how the controls were designed to operate the craft...Then he called Daren Margay to operate a tester on various parts in the machine while Woodrow Raccoon operated certain controls, as instructed, on the control consoles on both sides of the operator's seat, and on an overhead console near the three reactor control levers and time read outs...Those tests went on for about 30 minutes. "To give up at this point would be nonsense", Nickolas Fox declared. "I'm confident there is about a 90% chance this machine can be repaired with what we know in this day and time". Although the Area 51 project, code name 'Operation Sundial', that Nickolas Fox, Lola Binturong, Daren Margay and others at Groom Lake had been working on was very highly level classified, much of the technical information was shared in exchange with classified tech information about Project Courier. The information from both projects was shared among the scientists in the interest of everyone having a common understanding of how to plan their repair efforts to the time machine...After all, it was a joint effort. So as the saying goes, 'one paw has to know what the other paw is doing'. During more testing of the machine, the animals on the repair team did take some time out to share their experiences of the projects they were engaged in. Daren Margay said to Harold Wolf and the others, "At area 51 three months ago, right at 12 o'clock noon, we set a candle among the time warp panels we made. We carved identification marks on the candle. Then we lit the candle. Then we sent the lit candle into the future by four hours to 4 o'clock that afternoon...As we expected, we actually witnessed the candle vanish right before our eyes...We waited until four hours later. And at 4 o'clock, we caught up in time to the candle. We actually watched that same candle suddenly appear, still lit, and not burned down at all...It wasn't burnt down any, because the candle had just come from 12 o'clock noon, where we had sent it from four hours earlier". "I would have loved to have seen that", Harold Wolf explained. "I would have been very impressed by it myself", Woodrow Raccoon added. "That's nothing compared to the candle we sent to the past", Lola Binturong said. "Which one?", Nickolas Fox asked. "The one that disappeared off a shelf when it came to us from the future already lit. Then we blew it out and sent it back. Hours later, we took it off the shelf, lit it, and sent it to the past. And five minutes later, it came back as a blown out candle", Lola answered. "There were several we sent candles to the past that we didn't send back hours earlier", Nickolas Fox mentioned. "There were days, at 4 o'clock, we would light a candle, and sent it back to 12 o'clock noon...But then, when we allowed the lit candle to go through the normal course of time with us, it seemed that we never sent the candle back in time...Not sending the candle back caused an alteration in the past itself, to where we never sent the candle through time...Thus we only remember lighting the candle at noon, and it was burnt half way down at 4 o'clock". "We've discussed that about a hypothetical scenario if Clarence never traveled through time again", said Woodrow Raccoon. Nickolas Fox went on to say, "We got our proof after we sent another lit candle to send to the past...This time, we made tape recordings at the time we sent the candle from 4 o'clock back to noon. By the time the past changed because we didn't send the candle back from 12 o'clock, we had a half burned down candle that we remembered just simply lighting at 12 o'clock noon...But we had recordings that said different". "The change in the past didn't alter the tape recordings?", Lenard Wolverine asked. "The recordings were not made before the candle was sent in transit back through time. So there was no effect on the recordings", Nickolas Fox answered. "And we made the recordings while we still remembered sending the candle back to 12 o'clock". "I sent a cherry bomb fire cracker two hours into the future immediately after I lit the fuse", said Daren Margay. "Two hours later, the fire cracker appeared, then blew up". Lola Binturong told of the time another animal engaged on Operation Sundial sent ten rubber balls an hour into the future at one second intervals behind the other. "An hour later, we watched the rubber balls, pop pop pop, seeming to appear one behind the other", said Lola Binturong. "Actually, the balls didn't really appear. It's that we caught up through the course of time to the balls an hour later". Nathan Collie expressed concerns at first over classified information being shared, even reminding them of the old saying, 'Loose lips sinks ships'. However, Nickolas Fox did convince Nathan Collie, "In order for this machine to be made operational again, we all have to pool what we know to decide what's to be done here...We're working as a team, remember?". Al Coyote added, "And remember. There's an eight year old coyote cub who would appreciate being with his biological parents and siblings again". "You do have a point there, Al", Nathan Collie agreed. Near the end of the day, the tools and test equipment were loaded up in the cars, the tech drawings were rolled up and Harold Wolf placed them in the trunk of his '57 Desoto. As for the carpentry tools used for construction of the utility building, there was no need to lug those to and from the site everyday, so those were placed in the time machine to keep them out of the weather, and the ladders were placed under the time machine. "Before going home, I want us to meet back at the laboratory", Nickolas Fox announced. Everyone agreed...So when it was time to leave the site, Lenard Wolverine kept look out for cars approaching on Highway 54 as the others pulled out...Daren Margay stayed with Lenard Wolverine to help him sweep away the tire tracks left by the cars. Once everyone left, and Lenard and Daren were sweeping the tire tracks, Daren did comment on how good of an Idea it was to hide any evidence of the presents of vehicles that had been there. "So we're doing all this for that little coyote cub", Daren Margay inquired. "Yea. But if it were up to me, he got himself into this mess by being stupid. So he should go ahead and grow up in this generation", Lenard Wolverine replied. "That sounds like a cruel thing to say", Daren Margay said as he and Lenard continued sweeping the tire tracks. "Well...I guess that's why it's a good thing I'm not the one in charge around here", said Lenard Wolverine. Once the tracks were swept away, and the straw brooms placed back under the time machine, Lenard Wolverine made one last check for approaching cars on Highway 54 while Daren Margay sat in Lenard's '59 Buick. With no cars coming, Lenard Wolverine made a dash for the car while he knew the highway was clear, got in, cranked up the car, and drove out onto the highway...Then he and Daren Margay were on their way to the lab to meet up with the others. Lenard Wolverine and Daren Margay were met by Poindexter Fox upon their arrival to the laboratory. "We're having the meeting in the conference room", Poindexter informed Lenard and Daren. After everyone was in the conference room, and the door closed, discussions began on planning a work schedule around time devoted to repair of the time machine, and time allotted for the usual project work at the lab. "The completion of the utility building should be treated as a top priority", Harold Wolf proposed. "I second that motion", Woodrow Raccoon said as everyone agreed. "Each day the machine has been out there for the past two months, was another day of the risk of someone finding it". "That certainly is. So I'm authorizing work on the building to continue until it is completed", Nathan Collie agreed. "To those involved building it, I'll arrange for you to receive pay as though you were working on a project here at the lab". "As we all know, Lola, Daren and I can't be available to work on the time travel machine everyday", said Nickolas Fox. "We also need to keep our our work at Area 51 running on schedule". "We need to keep our work here on a time frame too", Nathan Collie mentioned. "We can help you all for a few more days", said Nickolas Fox. "Then it will have to be at a later time before we come back". After a round of discussion among everyone, it was agreed to allot several days, every two or three weeks, to work on the time machine...This was contingent as time would permit depending on the normal work load at Horizon Innovations and at Area 51. "I've thought of something about that machine being here in the present", Al Coyote mentioned. "Harold and the others now have a jump in the game during those times they're engineering plans for it". "Yea. Good observation, Al. They do, come to think of it", Nathan Collie agreed. "Hence why Johnny and I were jotting sketches out at the site today", Lenard Wolverine added. "Nathan. Can you authorize the use of a couple of company vehicles?", Nicolas Fox asked. "I can", Nathan Collie answered. "I'd have to know what you need them for". "We shouldn't have so many vehicles coming and going out of that site", Nicolas mentioned. "Yes, you're right", Nathan agreed. "One car, and a truck should suffice", said Nickolas. "I have a panel truck available", Nathan Collie said to Nickolas Fox, then asked, "Harold. Is anyone using the Ford Falcon right now". "Not at the moment", Harold Wolf answered. "You also got the Falcon, Nick", Nathan said. "And it's a brand new car. Horizon bought it only a month ago". Nickolas Fox then inquired, "I noticed a bronze and white Oldsmobile with a U Haul trailer hitched to it out at the site. Who's is that?" "That would be mine", Greg Otter spoke up. "You can turn that trailer back in if you want", Nickolas said to Greg. "You can haul those building materials in the panel truck". "So we all agree, anytime you all go to the time machine site, leave your own cars here and take the two company vehicles out there", Nathan Collie instructed, then he said. "Now as for Al, I understand you want to drop by after work and check on the progress. Al, you can stop by in your own car for that purpose". Then Nathan Collie asked, "Anyone have anything else before we adjourn?". "One thing", Nickolas Fox said. "Lola, Daren and I need to know where we can find a hotel for the next few days". "You all can stay at my place, Uncle", Poindexter offered. "I appreciate that, Poindexter. Thank you", Nickolas Fox thanked Poindexter as Lola Binturong and Daren Margay also thanked him. "My pleasure", Poindexter replied. "Anyone else?", Nathan then asked. After a few seconds, Nathan Collie announced, "This meeting is adjourned".
______________________________ After Al returned home from work that afternoon, he told Marge about the progress that Nickolas Fox and the two others made on the time machine. Al also told Marge about the progress on the utility building being built around the machine...Marge was very impressed about that idea of the utility building. However, Marge did express some concern when Al told her, "We had to tell Nathan Collie about the presents of the time machine today". "How is he dealing with that?", Marge asked. "He's on the same page the rest of us are who know about the machine", Al assured Marge. "He is honoring the secrecy of it's presents and whereabouts". "That's good", said Marge. "When you just now told me, I was concerned that Nathan would have contacted Roswell about it...What prompted his being made aware of it?". "We had no other choice", Al answered. "Nathan began questioning why Harold Wolf and the others were taking so much time away from the lab when they were working in the machine. He even began to suspect the reason they were away so much was to sell secrets to Soviet agents". "That would have been some serious charges", Marge replied. "I know", said Al. "That's why we had to tell Nathan what was actually going on". Al noticed the cubs watching TV, then asked, "Do the cubs have homework this evening?". "Clarence and Rex have little bit. Jed and Donna don't have any", Marge answered. There was a popular sitcom TV show the cubs liked to watch. It always aired on Monday evenings about a neighborhood family of beavers, characterizing two brothers, Wally and Timmy...The show was, of course, 'Leave it to Beaver'.
______________________________ TUESDAY, APRIL 12TH That morning, Nathan Collie assigned Woodrow Raccoon and Lenard Wolverine to remain at the lab and mark revisions on alternate copies of the tech drawings, based on what they now know from the actual time machine out at the site...Then there were a few badly burnt circuit panels brought in from the time machine to be rebuilt, which was able to be done with 1960 technology. Just before the rest of the detail left to go to the site, Nickolas Fox requested that a photographer go out to the site with them. "No one in the photo lab knows about Clarence being here with the machine" Poindexter said in a low volume as not to be overheard. "Doesn't Felix Cat work for your photo lab?", Nickolas Fox asked. "We know him pretty well". "Yes he does, Uncle. I have known Mr. Felix to be good at keeping secrets", said Poindexter. "I suppose if it's okay with Nathan, we can go over to the photo lab building and talk to him". Nathan Collie told Poindexter and Nickolas, ""It's okay by me if you're confident Felix can keep it hush-hush. You have my permission to specially authorize Felix security clearance". "Let's go over and talk to him", Nickolas replied. Poindexter then phoned the photo lab building to ask Felix Cat to allow him and his Uncle entry, being that the photo lab department has their own security codes to enter their building. "Well be back in 20 minutes", Nickolas Fox told Harold Wolf, Greg Otter, Johnny Ferret, Lola Binturong and Daren Margay as he and his nephew Poindexter headed over to see Felix. "If anyone need's me, I'll be in my office", said Nathan Collie. The photo lab building was just a short walk across a courtyard to get to it. "Hello. How's our good friend Felix", Nickolas Fox said as Felix Cat allowed him and Poindexter in. "Everything's well and dandy, Professor", Felix replied. "So what brings you here?". "Mr. Felix. We need to go to a secluded place to talk", Poindexter said. "Okay", Felix replied as they made their way to an unoccupied photo dark room. At the dark room, Nickolas Fox said to Felix, "Like the rest of us, I know you have security clearences and are sworn to secrecy. Now, if we took you out to a site to see something incredibly beyond belief, can we rely on you to not tell others, even in your own department?". "I won't tell a soul", Felix answered. "You've got my word of honor". "Poindexter then began by asking Felix, "You do know one of Al Coyote's boys, Clarence, don't you?" "Yes. That poor orphan cub Al and his wife adopted", Felix answered. "Now that he has a wonderful family, I'm sure..." "Mr. Felix, hold on please", Poindexter interrupted. "Clarence Coyote is not exactly an orphan. Clarence came here from the year 2018 by accident in a time travel machine". "In a what?!", Felix replied in total surprise. "I'm sure you recall the revisions to tech drawings that you all copy here occasionally, labeled Project Courier", Poindexter said to Felix. "I have seen those from time to time, although I have no idea what it is", Felix replied. "Those are drawings for a time travel machine we are presently engineering and designing", Poindexter told Felix. "Wow!", Felix exclaimed. Nicolas Fox then said to Felix, "That very same time travel machine you've been seeing on those tech drawings is at this very moment landed beyond a rock formation off of Highway 54 south of Vaughn. Clarence arrived here from the future in it". "I don't even know what to say", Felix admitted. Poindexter and his Uncle Nick then gave Felix a brief account of how Al and Marge noticed Clarence on the side of Highway 54 on the morning of January 9th, standing in the cold rain...and because the machine sustained damage on the way over, thus leaving Clarence stranded, Al and Marge adopted Clarence as their own. "We've been attempting to get the machine repaired so Clarence can be reunited with his biological family in 2018", Nickolas Fox told Felix Cat. "So where do I come in" Felix asked. "I need a photographer I can trust to come along with us", Nickolas answered. "Photos taken inside the craft for us to study here at the lab complex would be of help to us". "I'd be glad to", said Felix. "I got to get an okay from my boss". Felix informed his supervisor, Marvin Woodchuck that Poindexter and Nickolas wants him on a special assignment. "What do you have going", Marvin Woodchuck asked Felix. Poindexter Fox answered, "I'm sorry to say we can't tell you. It is classified. We've been authorized to grant Felix special security clearance for the assignment". "It's so classified, Santa Bear doesn't even know about it", Nickolas Fox jested. "You got my okay to go with them, Felix", Marvin Woodchuck said. "See you this evening". "And oh by the way", said Nickolas Fox. "Felix is to be the only one to develop those photos, and him alone, then bring them straight to us. And no one else is to see them". "You got that, Felix", said Poindexter. "Sure do", Felix replied as he began packing into a favorite carry bag of his; one of those big commercial cameras the photo lab has, additional close up lens, some packs of film, extra battery packs and a package of flash bulbs. "We call that carry bag of his, Felix's magic bag", Poindexter jokingly told his uncle as they and Felix laughed. "So I've once heard", Nickolas Fox chuckled. "They tell me you can change it into anything, Felix". Once Marvin Woodchuck left and was out of earshot, Felix replied in a low tone, "I wish, Professor. If I could, I'd turn it into a time machine so Clarence can go back home today". The three of them then walked back to the engineering lab to meet back up with the others. After gathering up tools, test equipment, their copies of the tech drawings, and the building supply voucher and invoice pad were reassigned to Johnny Ferret's authorization, and of course...very importantly...a ten gallon water keg with ice water and cups, then they were ready to head out. When the detail went out to the two company vehicles to head out to the site, Nickolas Fox, Felix Cat and Poindexter Fox took the 1959 Ford panel truck, with Poindexter driving, Felix on middle of the seat, and Nickolas near the passenger's door. https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&authuser=0&... The rest led the way ahead of the panel truck in the Ford Falcon, with Greg Otter driving, Harold Wolf on the front passenger's seat, and Daren Margay, Lola Binturong and Johnny Ferret on the back seat. https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&authuser=0&... As was pulling into the parking lot that morning at the lab, Al noticed that the detail leaving in two company vehicles didn't draw anywhere near the attention that about half a dozen cars did. As Al Coyote was making his way to an engineering project he and some others were assigned to, he noticed Woodrow Raccoon and Lenard Wolverine had copies of the tech drawings of Project Courier laid out on a table. "Nathan got you staying here today?", Al asked Woodrow and Lenard. "Yea. We were assigned to mark down change from the notes and sketches Johnny and I took at the site yesterday", Lenard Wolverine answered. Woodrow Raccoon then looked to be sure no one was listening who shouldn't know, then said to Al, "When Clarence finally leaves in the machine to go back to 2018, these copies are going back to drafting to have revised tech drawings made". "That jump ahead in the game I mentioned at the meeting yesterday", Al mentioned. "It certainly is", Woodrow replied.
______________________________ On the way to the site, there was a porcupine family in a blue and white 1957 Chevy Nomad station wagon riding behind the repair team. https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&authuser=0&...: Those porcupines couldn't be allowed to see the team pulling off the highway to where the time machine is. Greg Otter knew to slow the Falcon down in hopes the station wagon will pass their slower moving vehicles. The porcupine family was obviously in no hurry, and did not pass. So the team rode past the site and continued along highway 54 until they arrived to the small community of Vaughn where the family of Al and Marge Coyote live. There, Greg pulled off the highway, into the parking lot of the W. M. Hindi store, followed by the Ford panel truck. The porcupine family in the Chevy wagon continued on their way south down highway 54, heading on out to Corona. "Well, they're finally off our tails", Harold Wolf said as Greg Otter turned the Falcon around in the parking lot and headed back north up the highway, followed by the Ford panel truck driven by Poindexter Fox. This time when they approached the site, there were no other vehicles around...no other vehicle in sight on that long straight away. Thus they were able to pull off and drive the vehicles out of view of the highway without being seen. Felix was absolutely amazed by his first time seeing the time machine. As everyone was exiting the vehicles, Harold Wolf asked Johnny Fox, "What do you have next on this building?". Johnny said, "The next thing it needs is metal siding". Harold then instructed Johnny Ferret, "You and Greg take the panel truck and get the siding and what ever else you need. I'll stand look out for cars". Then Harold Wolf added, "Oh by the way. While you're there, get them to order those roof trusses you'll need". Once Greg Otter and Johnny Ferret were on their way to the building supply store, Nickolas Fox set the building tools that were being stored in the machine over to the side and out of the way. And the ice water keg was set on a level protrusion of the rock formation. Then everyone got right to it as they began to do more testing and made attempts at more repairs based on what they found out from tests done yesterday. Occasionally, Nickolas Fox would instruct Felix Cat to take some pictures of places where the machine had circuit board damaged, and where several repairs had already been made a month earlier. As Felix took the photos, he recognized parts of the machine from the drawings he had seen being copied in the photo lab. About two hours later, Greg Otter and Johnny Ferret was back with enough commercial grade metal panels for the walls of the building. Ridge shank, roof tin nails were used instead of roofing screws as there was no electrical power available to run a power drill for pilot holes. After Greg backed the panel truck to building, a decision was agreed on that everyone who wasn't presently need to help repair the machine would help to nail up the panels on the building. Anyone who Nickolas Fox need their expertise in, would break away from nailing up panels and go help Nickolas Fox. Even Poindexter Fox, who hardly ever swung a hammer on a building before, got some paws on experience in the building trade. Felix Cat even helped nail up a few panels while he was not needed at the moment to take photos. "You ever done building work before", Johnny Ferret asked Felix. "Never have until today", Felix replied. "This is all new to me". Johnny Ferret's expertise in erecting the building was especially valuable as he was once in the building trade before he went to college to become a scientist and design engineer. At one point, while some of the others were nailing up the metal to the building, Nickolas Fox was getting an oscillograph reading from the machine's master polyphase transformer, located in a floor well of the craft, when he said, "Thirty phase?". https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&authuser=0&...: "Thirty phase", Harold Wolf repeated as he came over and saw the oscillograph. "I've never heard of that many phases before". "Have a look, Harold. Virtually no power drop between the waves at all, Nickolas said. "A wave fall condition is almost nonexistent". "You actually have to trace and count the waves to know how many", Harold Wolf said. Greg Otter set down a hammer and paw full of roof tin nails and came over for a look. Lately, we have been trying to revise the plans for the system to run fifteen phase", said Greg Otter. "We already know a seven phase, master polyphase transformer will have too much of a wave drop to power the drive system". "Sometime before 1970, we would obviously be increasing it to a 30 phase drive system", said Harold Wolf. "After all. There it is right there to prove it. I know that oscillograph doesn't lie". "I haven't know a good working one to lie yet", said Nickolas Fox. "We need to make a note of that to revise on the plans", said Poindexter. "Thirty phase". "What phase have you been testing the drive system as?", Nickolas Fox asked Harold Wolf. "Fifteen mostly. And sometimes seven. But with what you've now discovered, that's what's been stumping us all along", Harold Wolf admitted to Nickolas Fox. "We need to retest a lot of this as 30 phase. I believe that in itself will get us past some major hurdles", said Nickolas Fox. There were also three components under the floor, attached into a system that bore a resemblance to miniature breeder reactors, except they seem to run off the center located energy reactor that runs from the ceiling to the floor...They didn't seem to be breeder reactors, though they were not yet on the tech drawings either...At any rate, Professor Nickolas Fox and the others were confident they'd eventually figure out what they are. By day's end, the sheet metal work on the walls was complete, including the flashing over the corners and door jams. Some progress had also been made toward repairing the time machine though there was still a long way to go. When it was time to head back to the shop, the usual security procedure was employed for their departure from the site. Before any of the vehicles pulled out, Poindexter walked to the highway to check for approaching cars, and Felix stood where he could relay the all clear from Poindexter. As Poindexter checked the highway, he noticed a car approaching from the north a mile away. "Wait up, Mr. Felix", Poindexter called out from the highway. "Not yet", Felix called to those in the vehicles. Poindexter hide out of view of the highway until the two tone, green, '56 Buick had passed...Then after waiting until that car had gone out of sight, he saw that no other vehicles could be seen in either direction. "It's all clear, Mr. Felix", Poindexter called. "Right-e-o", Felix replied, then called to the rest of the crew, "It's all clear to go". Greg Otter, Harold Wolf, Daren Margay, Lola Binturong and Johnny Ferret left first in the Ford Falcon. Then Professor Nickolas Fox pulled the panel wagon up to let Felix Cat in, then stopped by the side of the highway where Felix slid to the center of the panel truck's bench seat, then Poindexter got in. By the time they got underway back to the lab complex, the occupants of any other vehicle they met on the highway noticed nothing more than a small Ford followed by a panel wagon, and having no idea where they had just pulled out from.
______________________________ IN THE DAYS THAT FOLLOWED On Wednesday the 13th, it was a day of rain and drizzle. Being there wasn't much sense in working on the building in the rain, just a crew of six went out to work on the time machine that day, being; Nickolas, Poindexter, Felix, Lola, Daren and Harold...They all rode in the Falcon, with Harold driving.
On Thursday the 14th, the rain had cleared out and it was a nice day. In addition to the same six as went time machine site yesterday, Johnny Ferret, Woodrow Raccoon and Lenard Wolverine came along...It was three on the front seat and three on the rear seat in the Falcon. And Poindexter Fox, Felix Cat, Nickolas Fox and Lenard Wolverine squeezed in as four on the bench seat of the panel truck. It was on that day that Harold Wolf sent Johnny Ferret and Lenard Wolverine in the panel truck to pick the three, eight foot wide, roll up doors for the building, including eye bolts and pad locks as added security. A couple of hours later, when Johnny and Lenard returned, everyone's attention shifted to installing the roll up doors being that they were so heavy. After the roll up doors were unloaded from the panel truck, Lenard Wolverine informed Harold Wolf, "They got those 24 foot span trusses in we ordered on Tuesday. "Okay. Good to hear that", Harold replied. Because installation was with lag bolts, pilot holes had to be drilled for the bolts...There being no electrical power, those pilot holes were drilled with a bit and brace. Hours later, after the roll up doors were installed, Harold Wolf mentioned, "With the roll up doors pulled down, we can hide the machine from all directions now". "All it needs now is the roof", said Johnny Ferret. It was about 3:30. The roll up doors were pulled down and padlocked, Then, warning signs were afixed one on each door. The lab had a supply of those yellow signs in red print used to post at their remote test sites, which read; "WARNING. RESTRICTED AREA.Unauthorized entry is in violation of federal law punishable by 10 years in prison, and/or a $10,000 fine"...Being that the laboratory's remote test sites involved testing on classified projects developed for aerospace and military, those signs meant what they said. The team then called it a day and headed back to the lab.
On Friday the 15th, the same animals went out to the time machine site as who went the day before...This time with the 20 foot, flat bed, utility trailer hitched to the panel truck that the lab normally uses to transport large prototypes (which would be covered with canvas tarps during transit) to remote test sites. Once work was underway at the site, Harold Wolf instructed Johnny Ferret and Lenard Wolverine to take the panel truck and 20 foot trailer to go get the trusses that arrived at the store yesterday, along with the 2x4s needed for the gable ends of the roof, 1x6s for the roof panel stringers and enough hemp rope to hoist the trusses to the top of the building. A couple of hours later, as Lenard Wolverine and Johnny Ferret were returning with the trusses, Lenard had to pull over and allow a 1951 Oldsmobile to pass by. Then as the Oldsmobile was going out of sight, Lenard pulled back into the highway and continued to the site. When Lenard and Johnny arrived at the site with the trusses, everyone pitched in on getting the trusses off the trailer, and onto the top of the building. "This makes it easy", Lola Binturong said as she and Daren Margay found easy footing by propping a step ladder against the time machine, and standing on top of the machine to help guide the center trusses across. Once the trusses were on top of the building, it didn't take long for some of the team members, with Johnny Ferret's expertise as a former construction worker, to get the trusses installed in place. As the work was going along on the time machine and the building, Woodrow Raccoon called out, "Quick! Get out of there and roll the doors down!". A mixed breed dog (Heinz 57 breed...a little of everything) approached with a backpack, and a stick with a sack on the end slung over his shoulder. "I heard the hammering as I was walkin along from Corona. Are you all looking for help?", the dog asked. "You can't stay here. You have to move on", Johnny Ferret called to the dog from the top of the building. "Well does anyone have fifty cents so I can get a sandwich or a bowl of soup when I get to the next town?", the dog asked. In a low town, Greg Otter said to Harold Wolf, "We got to get him out of here". "I know", Harold replied. Harold Wolf then told the dog, "We're not hiring. There's no reason for you to hang around here". "Can't I just get fifty cents?", the dog insisted. "Here's a dollar" Woodrow Raccoon said to the dog as he pulled a dollar bill from his clip on wallet and gave it to him. "Now you need to leave". As the dog took off his backpack to put the dollar bill in it, he said, "I'd be glad to work for you today for a fair day's wages". "You're trespassing here right now", Nickolas Fox told the dog. "What part of 'you need to leave' do you not understand?". "He's not getting the picture.", Woodrow Raccoon said to Harold Wolf in a low tone. "We really gotta get rid of him". Harold Wolf then asked the dog, "If we gave you a ride to the next town, will you go? I'm sure you can find work there". "Oh yea! That would be great!", The dog exclaimed, all bright and sunny eyed, as he put his backpack back on. Harold Wolf then said to Lenard Wolverine, "Lenard. Take the Falcon, and give him a ride to Vaughn". Lenard Wolverine then cranked up the Falcon, and pulled up to where the dog was. "Put your stick and bag in the back seat and hop in", Lenard Wolverine said to the dog. "This will save me a lot of walkin' ", the dog said as he put the stick and bag on the back seat, took his back pack off, got in, then set his backpack in his lap". Daren Margay checked for cars approaching on Highway 54 as Lenard pulled out. As Lenard Wolverine pulled onto Highway 54, he muttered in a tone too low for the dog to hear, "I don't believe this". As they got to going down the highway in that 1960 Falcon, the dog told Lenard, "I really appreciate this". "My thoughts exactly", Lenard Wolverine replied. While cruising along Highway 54 to Vaughn, Lenard Wolverine asked the Dog, "Where do you live anyway?". "Oh just anywhere I settle down", the dog replied. "The ground is my floor, and the sky is my ceiling". "Rough way to live, isn't it?", Lenard asked as he drove along. "Oh it ain't too bad", the dog answered. "Well...To each his own, I guess", Lenard replied. Upon arriving in Vaughn, Lenard Wolverine pulled into a parking lot of a gas station. "Well, here you are", Lenard said to the dog. "Hey. Thank you very much", the dog said as he got out and got his belongings out of the car. "Don't mention it. My pleasure", Lenard Wolverine said after the dog closed the passenger's door. The dog now had his presents in a town that didn't run him off yet as Lenard Wolverine headed back to the site. Once back at the site, Harold Wolf asked Lenard Wolverine, "How did it go?". "He got his ride to Vaughn. He's happy", Lenard answered. "Good. I'm glad that'sover", said Nickolas Fox. Thus the work could now resume as it normally has. By day's end, the trusses and roof panel stringers were up. So was the framework for the roof gable ends. And a little more progress had been accomplished repairing the time machine. By then, it was getting late, so they called it a day. Back at the lab, Nickolas Fox, Lola Binturong and Daren Margay prepared to leave for their trip back to Nevada. After all, they too had Operation Sundial at Area 51 they had to get back to. Professor Nickolas Fox told everyone he'd make arrangements for him, Lola and Daren to come back on May the 9th, which would after three weeks on a Monday.
April 16th was a Saturday. On that day, Harold Wolf, Lenard Wolverine, Greg Otter and Johnny Ferret came into work and signed out for the panel truck to take it out to get the metal panels for the roof of the building...3' wide x 8' in length. At the building supply store in Santa Rosa, the Labrador retriever who manages the store suggested, "We've got 14 foot panels in stock. On the pitch you said you have, a 14 will run all the way from peak to fascia on a 24 foot building". "We only have eight feet of hauling space in the truck though", said Johnny Ferret. "We'll have to overlap two runs of eights". Thus, it was 32 panels at 8 foot each, instead of 16 panels at 14 foot...plus 4 lengths of ridge cap at 8 feet (the 4th one to allow for overlap). Once they got the metal panels and ridge cap, they then went out to the time machine site to begin getting the building completely closed in. Early that afternoon, the roof metal was up, and the building was finally completed...And not a day too soon either. Wind was only 11 miles per hour that day. Wind the following four days would range between 16 and 21 miles per hour, which is not an ideal condition for working with sheet metal up on the roof of a building.
Each time Nickolas Fox and the others would come back every couple of weeks or so, the team was confident they would begin seeing notable improvements in the rate of progress toward getting the time machine up and running. There were high hopes the repair efforts were on the way to getting on track. However... it being Saturday, April 16th, Easter Sunday was tomorrow...Easter fell on April 17th in 1960. And that Saturday evening, Al and Marge's cubs, Jed, Rex, Clarence and Donna, were dying Easter eggs for the Easter Bunny to get and hide, as Al and Marge were making preparations for the Easter egg hunt tomorrow...And the "Easter Bunny" (quote unquote) was preparing four Easter baskets of toys and goodies for the cubs.
