General Disclaimer

*WARNING WARNING* This is a history chapter, and so is the next......I hope I don't lose you guys.

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Chapter 7

"Exactly what did you mean when you said, 'Technologies?'"

Josh nearly choked and Lestrade turned with gaping mouth to stare at Holmes.

*How could he not know? I thought all of that was in the history vids I gave him.*

The hovercraft once again began to drift slowly to the left. They were far from the city by now and no move was made to correct it.

It appeared that Holmes had revealed a great inadequacy that he was about to begin to futilely cover when Lestrade said understandingly, "Holmes. I'm sorry. It's my fault. You've been using British holovids to learn your history, and, well...."

"If they're British then they probably never told the story right, either," Josh finished, grumpily crossing his arms.

Flashing her eyes irritably back at him, Beth cut him off before he could say more. "It's not that, Josh. It's just that unless you look for information specifically on the HAARP project, it doesn't just fall in your lap."

"HELLO! It's the entire reason we had that war!"

"A war most countries would like to forget. No one but the Americans actually understand the Technologies. And anyways, look at yourself; if they had the data floating around all the time, people would get too riled up, again." Then turning back to Holmes, the hovercraft still on its tangent, she said, "I tell you what. If you want, Josh and I will fill you in on that crucial piece of history, considering you tell us what you already know first."

Holmes hated feeling humbled but even so, the quest for knowledge drove him on. Gruffly turning around, his usual smug expression gone, he signaled his compliance with a short nod and began.

"There was a short war a few years ago; many nicknamed it the 2nd Cold War. The war was between America and its allies and the other major countries and their allies. From the histvids I was only able to pertain that the war cannoned when diplomatic sessions brought on by the Americans failed. There was really nothing else of any interest on that war. According to the vids, there were many reasons the war was fought, one being a forbidden technology, but exactly what that technology was, was never explicitly stated. Am I to assume that you were part of that?"

And so as one story ended another began.

"Hmmm, I see. Well, this is my perception..."

"...and mine,"

"...of what happened."

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"We always lived in a great time with lots of prosperity for America. We had so much power but always carried it lightly. I guess, America turned more towards its own affairs and less towards the rest of the world and so I guess our actions are reflective of that as well.

"The power to control the weather was discovered and pioneered by the Americans. At first, it was simple, easy technology that could barely affect a five mile radius. That was about 100 years ago. But then, as our knowledge and understanding grew, so did our technology. The basic understanding from the early 21rst century gave way to complex theories which provided the groundwork for continental weather control. We were more than capable of global control yet, we Americans reserved that power because it wouldn't have been right to control all of the other nations' weather.

"Since we started working on this technology over a century ago, and since they never really named it, they just called it 'the technologies.' Our bases became T1, T2 and so on. When we refined our capabilities, everyone was just so used to saying, 'The Technologies' that we never bothered giving it any other name. Kinda lazy of us I guess but nonetheless it gives it an added flair. But if you ever say, 'The Technologies,' everyone will know exactly what you are talking about.

"So, instead of controlling global weather, we stuck to our turf, so to say. The droughts of the South and the Midwest were ended. The blizzards of the north were prevented. Government officials could even ask for special 'sunny days' for speeches or important events. And our weather predictions were never more accurate. I guess we began to flaunt our power.....

"However, with this new power in our grasp and growing quickly, other countries could only lust for it. Many saw the military value of the technology and rated it, by a vote of 386 to 4 (the four being American representatives) as a Class Omega weapon. As the world demanded the technology either destroyed or for themselves, the Americans began many diplomatic relations that ultimately failed. People were so afraid of how it could be used that they never noticed just how it was being used. The Technologies were built and worked by civilians, not feds, so that should have been the first clue on where it stood. True, the feds always funded it since the beginning, but civilians worked it and so, by law, it could not be used in warfare.

"It seems that everyone else in the world felt that we would try to take over the world. You know, use the technology to create fog banks to hide our troops or create floods and havoc across other weather systems and then, have an easy takeover.

"As many foreign residing Americans began to trek home, war broke out. The sitting president ordered all the technology closed while requesting that the background theorists continue their work. He felt that by winning the 'Great War'..... What was so 'great' about it anyways?.....without that technology ever being used, even for civilians, he would be able to prove to the world why the technologies were created in the first place and were to be used for. And then....

"All Hell broke loose.

"As the world mounted war against America, Americans stayed strong. War always tends to bring the patriotism out of the people once more. The homeland defense was unbreakable, except for a few instances where targeting defense systems malfunctioned. Those were awful losses...but kept to a few.

"It took three long years for most countries to become weakened from such long-range warfare and began to retreat from the public eye one by one. Britain was our only ally but had never sent troops to help the battle for America, but the strain on its economy due to the embargoes placed on it from other countries had weakened it considerably. Since America had never taken offense, just defense, and since we were able to be self-sufficient with a much needed reorganization, the war barely dented our firm plating.

"It was then that the president requested some diplomatic meetings with the world powers. A truce was called and members of all parties talked. America refused to share her secrets and the other countries would not abide this.

"An agreement was never reached but it was clear that no one was really ready for this action, and so the technologies were closed while several theorists continued to study in hopes that one day the world would be ready to accept it. Upon leaving the meetings, our president was assassinated when a ballistic missile fired from the Underground destroyed the ground just outside of the meeting place.

"This is seen, in history, in two lights. In many places of the world, it is seen as an inconsequential war that wasted three years of production. After all, no one really won, did they? In America, it is seen as the time that America defied the rest of Earth and defended the freedom of the people. We celebrate our truce every February the fifteenth as the Three Year Memorial Day, to remember the fallen troops and civilians that didn’t make it to the end of the war.

"So, history is written by the winners of wars but since no one won, who wrote the history? Everyone wrote their own versions so that is the American one. We lost our technologies and the world lost its pride.

"The general British sentiment about this war turned sour due to the fact that it practically shattered their economy. And even though the Brits still remain our greatest ally, the deep grudge that some of the people hold can’t be forgotten either."

Understanding that the story was nearing its end, Holmes tried to get just a bit more information before ending the conversation. "And I take it you were part of the theorists?"

Smiling, and realizing Josh had gone back to working in the backseat, Lestrade answered, "Josh and I worked on the HAARP project -- 10th, 11th, 12th grade and beyond. We were working on cyclonic control before the groups were split. I still have all of the layouts, diagrams, blueprints, formulas, theories and the like I ever worked on it the safest place I have so that I can continue to work on it even without the federal funding. When I joined the Yard, they tried to sap out as much information from me as possible. I have Grayson thinking I was a janitor for the T12 base. Power and knowledge are the two most feared attributes one can have. Especially when put together."

Nodding thoughtfully, Holmes replied, "So Grayson felt you might be a political threat and when he thought you knew nothing, that potential was removed. And might that same information be what lies in Coultrane’s book?"

"Pretty much... Well, actually. I’ve only seen parts of it and only some of it is notes. The other parts are his inventions and whatnot. But there are things in there he won’t even let me see."

A slight chuckle from Holmes broke the lingering tenseness of the atmosphere.

*I’ve got to tell him......*

"Ummmm, Holmes? I’ve been meaning to tell you something...."

As he looked up into her luminous blue eyes, he found himself unable to tear his gaze from her sad stare.

"I’m moving back to America to work on the Technologies again. I just got my letter the other day...."

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Maureen, I've fretted about posting this for months now. I knew that I needed the big info dump, but how to do it was the main problem. Believe me when I say (or in this case type), "More to come." What's so funny is that I already have the next two chapters written and I just kept daddling on this one. Frustrating beyond belief, yet worth it in the end.

Btw you and me, I don't think I'll do another info dump for another couple of chapters. Rest your minds weary souls.

And a second note, I'd tell you whether or not Lestrade is holding back, but that might spoil the story. Wait and read. Wait and read (hopefully this time you won't have to wait months).