The Option of Power

“Because it will blow up!”

The faces around the room looked graven.

“Collisions and explosions didn’t ground supersonic jets, government intervention did. We don’t have to go down that route,” Ronnie Cartwright offered. The room still looked on edge. Cartwright sought to smooth out that issue.

A giant projection, supported by two hundred and forty high definition lenses lended him the possibility of showing his plan. Cars floated in thin air. Each one drove up and parked on a platform and rotated: one red, one white, one blue. Sleekness spelled for naysayers at least a moment of attention.

“This is the Thorough, the Clear, and the True. I know, for a fact, that these thorium-core nuclear automobiles will power the world,” Cartwright proclaimed. Teeth brushed and eyes wide, the vision looked even more ready.

“But what about the possibility of multiple fatalities or injuries?” Vina Barris asked.

Cartwright cleared his throat and brushed off his shoulders. “Last year, there were fifty five thousand traffic deaths. One hundred forty people got hurt. Not one of them was in a nuclear reactor driven vehicle.” He waved a hand in the air and the models spun like vintage vinyl on a Victrola.

“This,” he continued, “will be the be all and end all in driving in America and across the globe. It is because the might of the reactors and the core protection of the engines will present to the producer—”

“Don’t you mean consumer?” Vina questioned.

“They’ve gotta be makers before they can be takers,” Cartwright fired back. He returned to the projection. “He picked up where left off before Vina asked. Now, If we get to the point where we are not going to be able to show the truth about how travel will be revolutionized, then we will have lost. But I don’t think my engineers are ready to lose that fight. They’re not prepared to find themselves locked into a place where they cannot see. The mind’s behind these models can mouth off the parameters and dimensions of everyone. They know the digital dash to the right size of the wings.”

“Wait, you have these things flying around. The government will have to get involved. There will be no fly zones, parking areas, permits, licenses and all sorts of red tape and regulations involved,” Vina observed.

Cartwright chuckled. “If we say that the government will rule our lives, it probably will. Fossil fuels are the most despised means of powering our places of business, our homes, and yes, our cars. There is no such thing as ‘the environment.’ There is the human environment and nature. No in between.” He paused then resumed. “These modes of transportation will take us beyond the ideas of the government asserting its forceful hand, they only feel they have the option of power because we put up with them. Let these cars be the answer to that problem.”

Vina pressed her tongue against her lips and tapped her digital pen.

“I’m not entirely sold yet,” she said, “but I’m willing to see more.”

“Excellent,” Cartwright remarked. “Allow me to continue.” The models swirled out of the way and figures appeared and floated.

“If you observe here, you will be able to note that these pieces of information will be the numbers. While it is not our direct intention to save the beetles and the bottlenose dolphins, we will drastically cut the amount of oil dependent vehicles by over 99%.”

At that, Vina snorted. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. 99%?!”

Cartwright didn’t bat an eye. “Yes, absolutely. With nuclear components at the heart of these aerial automobiles, we will be stepping into an age of motive power that will light up the skies like fireflies in the summer,” he added.

“Okay,” Vina flipped her hand. “Let’s talk about that one big fat zero and the percentage sign.”

“Of course. That absolute figure will show how much energy bills will cost our base.”

“So, now we’re nonprofit?”

“We will profit off of not only the sal of such cars, but also the maintenance, repairs, furnishing, and plans regarding the amount of apps they'll have and other online services that will guide them through the streets and the air in comfort and safety,” Cartwright countered.

Vina nodded. “Proceed, sir.”

“For all of human history, there has been a tussle over the majesty of thought. We have been programmed to continue failing downward through our ways., Accidents, torture, murders, suicides, and all sorts of other calamities have plagued our species throughout the years. What these vehicles represent is not irrational hope but truth through engineering.”

“I’m sold,” Vina said.