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Sandra Swift & the House on Wheels II

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Sandra Swift & the House on Wheels II Sandra Swift & The House on Wheels II (or: Return to the Mountain of Mystery) Chapter One: Missing Brain. It seemed to be a dream pausing for effect. A smooth metal shape forty-two feet long, thirteen feet high and eight feet wide looking for all the world like a large bullet, or a missile lying on its side. Sleek . its pale grey finish gleaming in the overhead lights as it relaxed on seven wheels upon the test bed in Building 14 (Automotive Systems Research) of the Swift Enterprises complex. The only breaks in the otherwise apparently seamless upper surface came from wide curving viewports at the pointed forward end, as well as slightly smaller windows further back. Her hands on her hips, Mary Swift was giving the object an overall examination. "I don't like it," she concluded. Tom Swift Sr. was crouched down by the rear right wheel, examining part of the suspension system which he had helped design. But he heard his wife's remark and smiled up at her. "Why, Mary! All these years and I've been laboring under the impression that the House on Wheels was your favorite among my inventions." "Well," Mary slowly considered, "I'll admit that the original version was very nice. Of course you have to understand that a lot of my opinion was because of its first full-fledged run." "I won't argue," Tom Sr. agreed, straightening up and brushing his hands on his sides as he went over to her. "The first official run was rather memorable." He slipped his arms around her waist. "A lot of that was probably due to the research assistant I had with me at the time." Mary dimpled, a rosy blush blooming on her face. "I'd say a lot of the initial testing went rather well that first night," Tom Sr. murmured to her. "Parked on the shore of Oneida Lake." "Glad I managed to be helpful," Mary whispered as she went on tiptoes, moving into the kiss. Watching them from nearby, Sandra Swift smiled as the years seemed to melt away from her parents. Without moving her head too much she could see the original House on Wheels quietly sitting in a place of honor not too far away from its newer version. Thirty years old it was still quite operational, and every once in a while her mother and father would pack it full of food and disappear for a week. When they returned her mother would be glowing, her eyes sparkling for days while her father hummed and smiled through his work. Sandy noted that her brother had also heard his mother's statement, but Tom Swift Jr. patiently waited for some distance to appear between his parents before voicing a question. "What's wrong with the HOW2, Mom?" Mary was still gazing dreamily into her husband's eyes. "You hear something?" she said. "I think it's your eldest child," Tom Sr. replied. "Refresh my memory: why did we have children?" "Mmmmm, your kisses were sweeter than wine?" Mary thought it over. "Good answer," she replied. "It's not that I dislike the idea of the House on Wheels," she addressed her son in a more audible voice, turning to him. "But your design seems rather . I don't know. Clinical." "It was Le Corbusier who described a house as a machine for living in." "Is he on the payroll?" "He died in 1965," Tom Sr. pointed out. "No coaching," Mary gently told him. Tom was smiling. "Well, seeing as how this is the informal unveiling, maybe there's still hope." Looking about, he motioned for the others in the group to gather around. Bud Barclay . Tom's best friend . sidled his stocky frame close alongside Sandy, with Sandy finding no complaint about the physical contact. Over near the nose of the new House on Wheels Phyllis Newton had been pointing out some items to two people, but now she moved towards Tom Jr. A doe-eyed girl with a wealth of brunette ringlets reaching down her back, she was one of the leaders within Swift Enterprises' Marketing and Public Relations Division. She was also Sandy's chum, but there was sufficient evidence to suggest that she held closer allegiances to Sandy's brother (a situation Sandy minded not at all . and neither, she suspected, did Tom). Phyllis' audience had included Belinda-Glory Winkler: a five foot four black haired wisp of Texas female who responded to the name "Bingo" and who served as the Swift family cook, as well as a frequent companion to Sandy and Phyllis. Her recent attention, however, had been monopolized by the presence of the other member of Phyllis' group: Kenneth Horton. As with Bingo he was black-haired and from Texas, but there the resemblance came to a halt as he was almost six feet tall. He was the commander of the space station which Swift Enterprises maintained some 22,300 miles above the Earth. As he and Bingo tended to prefer each other's company, the girl was usually his constant shadow during his visits. Tom was now beginning his description. "The HOW2's body is a shell composed of thin layers of atomeron and tessellated osmiridium coated with an outer layer of Tomasite. The layers have been treated with self-replicating nanites possessing tunable photo-mimetic qualities which allow for adjustments in the overall color scheme. The entire hull was organically generated using the same technique developed for constructing the `Photon'---" Crossing her arms, Phyllis sighed. "Is any of this going to be in the sales brochure?" Tom blinked at her. "It's important." Phyllis slowly shook her head, and Tom's shoulders slumped slightly. "Okay," he said, resuming his earlier pose. "The HOW2 is a class-A recreational vehicle driven by a Barton-VI-D turbine engine producing 550 horsepower." He gave Phyllis an expectant look. "Getting better." "Motive and internal power for the HOW2 is provided by an integrated four year core featuring a Mighty Mite atomic battery operating in tandem with twin Swift solar batteries. If necessary, a Barton `Antaeus' auxiliary diesel can also provide power and propulsion and I can hear your foot tapping over there, Phyllis." "I'm sorry. You're trying, but I'd never hire you to work on the sales floor." "Um!" Tom paused then began again. "As designed, the basic HOW2 provides comfortable living and sleeping space for four adults. Various floor plan options allow for additional sleeping space as well as other customizable features." Once again he glanced over at Phyllis. "I'm giving you an A minus," Phyllis told him. Tom nodded. "Well, with that in mind, and to further appease Mom, let's take a look at the interior." Touching a hidden control caused an opening to appear in the hull, one section rising up while the smaller lower section provided a ramp. Stepping aside, Tom smiled at his mother, indicating that she should enter first. Mary did so, pausing briefly as she looked around. "Ooooo . ." She was standing in a comfortable-looking living room, complete with entertainment center. To her immediate right was a small dinette space with two chairs, as well as an oval shaped opening leading to the driver's compartment. Beyond the living room on her left was a larger dining area across from a snug but seemingly fully equipped kitchen. On the other side of the kitchen could be seen a corridor which Mary presumed led to the bathroom and bedroom. "Now this is more like it," she said half to herself. "Porcelain tile and neo-Carrera Tomasite counter tops," Tom was pointing out as he entered behind her. "We'll be offering five different interior fabrics and paneling arrangements for customers." "Mmmm, yes. I see Phyllis' hand in this." Sandy had stepped into the vehicle and was peering about. "Tom? Phyl? Dad? Not that I'm complaining too much to any of you, but aren't the eating accommodations sort of cock-eyed?" "What do you mean?" Tom asked. "The little bitty table there, near the front," Sandy replied nodding at the dinette, "and then the dining space near the kitchen. If you end up feeding more than four people then two of them are going to be somewhat separated." "Ah," Tom replied, "but there's reason at work here. That small table up front also serves as an auxiliary driver's station." He had the attention of not only Sandy, but his mother, Bud, Bingo and Ken. "Say what?" Bingo asked. "The forward section of the HOW2 is actually a small atomicar that can detach from the main body of the vehicle and operate independently. The main section of the HOW2 can still be driven about although, obviously, it doesn't handle as efficiently on its own." Ken was slowly nodding. "That explains the power arrangement. The Mighty Mite is in the atomicar, and the solar batteries are back here with us." "Exactly." Bud had gone forward and was examining the driver's compartment. He now looked back. "So the entire HOW2 isn't an atomicar?" "Not as such," Tom admitted, "although that might be in the works later on. Did you notice the large flaps covering the wheels outside?" "Yeah." "The main body of the HOW2 can't fly. But, with the wheels retracted and the flaps closed, it can travel on water, reaching a top speed of sixty-three knots." With Phyllis still within earshot Tom silently decided not to mention that, when sealed, and with the internal life support system operating, the HOW2 could also protect its passengers from lethal radiation as well as chemical and biological hazards.
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