text:
Freedom for Ares
written by Trenton Andres on January 06, 2003 | forum profile
number of views: 76956 | printable version (text) (PDF)
This is the beginning of a novel being written by Trenton Andres. Stay tuned for updates.
Tae turned the top of the joystick on the control center of his suit, the image on his heads up display (HUD) showed a red dusty landscape, Mars. He turned the camera almost a full 360 before he saw what he was looking for. The small green glint told him that he had found the bottle he dropped on his way back from the mess camp. Tae pushed a small red button next to the joystick, the HUD showed a different view but the same bottle was on it. He put the crosshairs on the glint of green glass, "ha" he laughed "green in red."
He pushed the small black button on the top of the joystick and immediately heard the report as the automatic shotgun on his Dredge suits right shoulder fired, on the HUD the image of red dust spraying up and thousands of tiny stars appeared in the sand, as five hundred carbon filament wrapped pellets hit the bottle.
A new image popped up on his HUD it was of a young worried face of his companion sniper Doug Johnson
"What happened??!!"
"I recycled." he said with a smile "suppose your suit AI would have told you that." the sniper AI aboard both their suits took in all sound coming in through different microphones on the outsides of the suits and identified them along with the range and heading
"Don't do that! I'm already nearly having stomach ulcers out here."
"Is that from the food or because your nervous."
Another image popped up on his HUD
The accent of Dimitri Romanizt dripped of Russian influence, probably encouraged by his parents considering he was a native Martian so he would not have any natural Russian accent on mars. He said
"We're lucky to be eating at all, on the home world this war is costing some people their lives."
" Hacker."
"So what do you mean costing people their lives?" Tae asked.
"Earth cant produce enough food for herself but when they have to send troops to mars that makes it even worse, instead of agreeing to let us free they would rather have the population of earth starve to death."
"War costs lots" Johnson said
"Especially when interplanetary supply lines come into play." Tae added
"Well you snipers are lucky, you don't have to be up there on the front lines with ten thousand bullets and missiles flying around you with only your suit for comfort." Dimitri unlike Tae and Johnson was a frontline troop.
"Hey guys better get off the com or commander will be mad at us."
"good idea."
Tea sat back in his suit and switched the HUD image back to his camera turning it three sixty and programming the shotgun to automatic, anything that had a metallic signature that moved would be vaporized automatically. He started typing madly at the keyboard in front of him, he got through the security locks on the planetary defense system database on Pavonis. He looked at the satellite infrared image of the west side of the mountain. He could spot the camp but only because he had made not of the ridge right in front of them. He also spotted something very interesting and he knew what it meant.
Tae awoke still inside his Dredge suit, its AI waking him up at the usual time. no, it was early. The monotone woman voice of his AI issued from the speakers of his headset.
"commander Longfleck wishes to speak with you corporal"
"Yes commander" he grunted his back stiff from sitting all night.
"you and Johnson are to follow a group of TSF's (Terran Supportive Forces) and destroy them if they get to close to the group" the commander finished by taking a swig out of the coffee cup that he was holding.
"Sir" Johnson said in a whining tone " why not just move the group out of the way or destroy it."
The commander looked angry but knew he couldn't do anything.
Johnson was the Division leader and commander of all the forces mounting the attack on PMSP (Pavonis Mons Space Port). Tae saved the commander from the grief of explaining
"Cause they will be detected by the satellites in orbit and every single ship flying over Pavonis, its not every day that you see two hundred Dredge suits just pop out of nowhere." Tae explained
Officially mars and earth were not at war. Earth signing an agreement with mars made it clear that PMSP would remain terran until terra felt that its emigrants were safe. This had been a mistake and it had happed fifty years ago he was only 23 (earth years he was around 11 in mars years) but he knew it well enough to know that it was a mistake to take that agreement from the terrans.
"Your to move out when I say, most likely tonight, if your lucky" the commander ordered.
"how many are there?" Tae asked in a tone that he hoped didn't give away what he was thinking
"approximately fifteen tanks and twenty or so transports, Longfleck out"
There was a pause and then Dimitri's face appeared on the screen
" good luck"
Dimitri once again had hacked into their conversation
" does anyone even try to stop you from eavesdropping anymore?" Tae asked with amusement
" umm." there was about a five second pause as if he was thinking " no. not really,"
"Typical" Johnson snorted
Tae pulled on the release bar that let him out of his Suit and stepped outside. Onto the platform/stairs that the door made when opened
He jumped out and slid down the leg of the kneeling giant that was his suit. It was only 2.5 meters taller then he was, not that big. It was medium sized Suit for those days not necessarily a scout, though it could hold its own in speed. It wasn't that big or its weapons that strong but still a deadly machine. The only real armament that could do any damage to a tank or Dredge suit was his rifle the barrel was shorter then expected for a sniper rifle had a few different types of ammo. it wasn't fast firing or could be used to demolish buildings. It wasn't brute force that made his suit so deadly it was a combination of the pilots imagination for tactics and the suits ability to match those abilities. The automatic shotgun on the right shoulder was able to turn 180 degrees in half a second and shoot most things down, up to 450 KPH flying overhead or towards the suit. Another feature that was a tacticians dream was the multi class rocket pod, caring ten different types of rockets from dummy rockets that looked like an ICBM to all electronic detection systems, to smoke rockets that sent a continual fissure of smoke able to cover an entire army with only fifty or so. Another great weapon on the suit was the electro magnetic mine that could be planted by the suit and when anything came near it the mine would make and EMP (electro magnetic pulse) and disable all electronics within twenty meters. The other thing he was proud of was the half meter long canister on the back of his suit, this contained a small flying scout he lovingly called Bill. Bill spun the two sets of string like rotors in opposite directions so their wasn't any need for a rear rotor. The centrifugal force of the spinning kept the rotors taught, the rotors were flexible straps of thick material shaped like a conventional wing. Bill was controlled by his suit AI and had a range of twenty five kilometers. He made his way over to the supply depot and got the food and ammo supplies he would need for the next week or so, if he ran out he could always ask for a drop ship to leave some at a checkpoint.
When Tae got back to where his suit was located he found Johnson and instructed him to re-supply too. It would be a long time before they could re-supply their Suits and their stomachs. He couldn't visit Dimitri on the front line so he made his way back to his suit and opened a comlink to him.
"Dimitri can you hack into our command database and see if there is a catch to this order of mine."
"ok but I didn't do it if I get caught"
"ya right"
Tae sat down and looked at the clock it was two thirty and without realizing it he dozed off.
Tae didn't dream often, but he did whenever something terrible happened or he thought something terrible was going to happen. Tonight he dreamt of his little sister she was three she was on the red sand dunes right by the north sea in a small t-shirt and shorts. It was warm, actually hot, really hot. He felt like he was going to die of dehydration. He looked at his sister she was on the ground but it wasn't his sister it was, a girl, he wasn't sure who but he knew that he had seen her before. Who was it? The dream faded never to be remembered for a long time but he would remember it as D�j� vu or it might come to him and then he would forget it again
He was awaken by his suit AI, in her sweet monotone she told him that
"commander Longfleck called and he was to leave immediately after you had enough sleep,"
"thanks" he continued, "contact Johnson's suit AI that he is to be ready within twenty minutes"
"I already have"
"Knew you would have"
A low whur and some of the LEDs lighting up told him that Charlett (of course the suit has a name) had ignored the last comment and was currently running a armor check or fuel calculations or something. He Checked ammo and fuel reserves and when he saw that everything was topped off knew that Charlett had not been idle when he was asleep.
He sat up and stretched, banging his head on the low ceiling of the suit, and dropped to his knees and crawled out of his suit.
"damn" he said louder then he meant.
"you know your mother would hurt you very much if she heard you using that language"
"hello Dimitri" Tae heard a voice behind him in his suit.
"Hacker..you programmed her to say that didn't you."
No response Dimitri had wondered off to his little world.
"Did you come to say anything of importance or just to prove that you could hack into my suit"
"I wasn't able to hack into your suit, Charlotte wouldn't let me so I asked her if she would say hi to me to make you think that I did"
Tae turned around to look into the suit's cockpit. There immediately was a start of machinery as Charlotte started warming up the various components of the suit.
He looked back down at Dimitri, Tae was on the platform that doubled as a blast door for the cockpit of his suit and for a platform for the pilot to stand on if they wanted out of the cramped quarters of the suit, Dimitri looked both worried and relieved,
"They caught me last night when I was hacking in for you, not digitally but one of my bunkmates saw me and reported me, I was taken to the commanders office. I thought I was dead but the amazing thing is that they knew about my hacking for awhile and were amazed at it. So I have been promoted and I'm shipping of to somewhere." Dimitri said this all as if he really didn't know what had happened a kind of sad, happy, relieved, and depressed feeling crushed together into a ball of emotion.
"So we'll be leaving at the same time then" Tae said emotionless
"Yes" he turned then paused and turned around with a smile even from four meters in the air Tae could tell that Dimitri was smiling. " your in for a treat tomorrow the commander told me, that if I told you, that I would be killed for treason along with you and Johnson but ill tell you this.. Your going into space."
Great. He was going to space, he hated space, even when he could navigate across Mars without a map and could probably do not badly on Terra space still made him a little queasy and very frustrated. He hated space.
"What was that all about?" Johnson appeared caring boxes of food most likely.
"Nothing Dimitri is moving to another post"
"really. Where?"
Tae turned and walked into his suit. Once he got inside Charlett closed the door behind him. For a second it was pitch black in the cockpit, black like space. The only light was the LEDs on his control panel like small stars. stars, the only thing he liked about space. Stars fascinated him he studied them a lot when he was young and the knowledge stuck with him.
"Charlett bring the HUD online"
Immediately the green glow of the HUD display filled the cockpit with green light. He sat down and started playing a combat simulator that looked so real that he sometimes forgot it was fake. Until he recognized one of the patterns that the enemy was using. That always slowed him down, whenever he saw a recognizable move he tried to remember what battle that was in. this was a good thing for both Tae and Charlett, while Tae learned to fight more effectively Charlett could predict the moves of the enemy in certain situations, using the defensive technology on the suit more effectively.
The HUD came on and disrupted his thinking, by reaction he sat down and immediately grabbed the two control arms. Charlett put a small tank and a moderately sized suit in front of him. Charlett knew Tae well enough that she knew that these two would not be a problem for him, most likely she had something else in store for him.
"Ok lets start" Tae said concentrating on what he should do. The only unrealistic thing about this simulator is that when a Laser or bullet hit the suit it didn't heat up or start to show any sign of damage so Tae sometimes had to get really into it before he got lost in fighting it. The terrain was of the Valis Marines, he knew these lands well he had flown through them in his teens. He looked on the radar image underneath the HUD and saw the two vehicles that Charlett had shown him. They were separated by half a kilometer, so he could sneak behind them but he didn't want to and decided to try one of the new weapons he hadn't tried in real combat.
He hit a few buttons on the Joystick that controlled the weapon targeting system and programmed the rockets with one of his directives. He was going to squeeze the button when a new dot appeared on the radar. The key to being a good pilot in one of the suits or anything else in combat is keeping your eyes open all the time to everything around you, radar, ammo, ect.., ammo especially, not a good thing if your in the middle of a battle with only a targeting laser, that's bad, very bad. The third blip was about three Km behind the other two, he decided to take the other two out first. He squeezed the button right below the trigger and heard the fire of rockets, (he knew it was fake because he didn't hear a direction and heading warning appear on his HUD,) three small rockets flew out from the pack on the suits left shoulder, spraying fire and smoke behind them. They stayed on a strait course and then after about a hundred meters the outer left one veered towards the tank. The right one and the center one continued for another two hundred meters before the right one veered. This tactic made it seem like there were more than one suit attacking.
The middle rocket stopped exactly fifty meters after the right one veered and dropped, Tae waited for about twelve seconds and then pushed the throttle on his suit to maximum his suit immediately leapt forward and ran into the smoke screen the rockets had made for him. He decided to deploy Bill and see what was approaching from ahead of him. The canister lobed bill out of the top end by compressed air, bill carried a camera and infrared censors, along with last known location that the suit was. In case the suit lost contact with Bill the small computer brain immediately headed for the nearest friendly outpost or Dredge suit.
While bill was moving towards the unknown target Tae moved his suit forward and over a ridge. The two blips were moving towards each other. He decided to get a good vantage point and take them out with his rifle when they went by. A blue dot on the HUD told him where Bill was. Tae moved the left joystick forward a bit then hit a button on top of it, his suit dropped down into a prone position and brought the rifle up. Tae switched the view to the scope on the gun.
His gun was one other of the many things he was proud of on his suit the gun also had a receiver so he could fire the gun without being there. If he dropped the gun to lighten the suit then he could relocate it later and disable the firing mechanism. If his suit was stolen or destroyed then he could detonate all the ammo in the gun. Destroying everything around it. He decided to use the small nuclear slugs that he liked very much in these situations, he turned the small knob on the right joystick to the third setting and waited for the enemies to appear. Meanwhile he brought up a new screen to check where Bill was.
The HUD showed the canyon walls below and the pink sky above. Ahead he saw something that he really didn't like. A large space cruiser was moving slowly towards him. He knew that it was unusual for a battle cruiser to be flying this low but it had happened to him once in a real battle. He checked his gun scope camera. There was the tank but the suit had apparently gotten lost, but then again suits didn't get lost.
He slammed the left joystick around in time to see the large Suit standing over him. If he had waited another moment he would have been turned into some burnt flesh in a pile of metal wreckage. He pushed the button slightly below the trigger to shoot whatever rocket was first in the pack. The rocket was not a moment to fast it was at such a close distance that the fuel was still in it, the rocket turned out to be an incendiary and the suit ignited and was obviously a remote controlled suit or it wouldn't of fallen like that our would have waited so long. As the suit was burning, it crashed into the ground with a roar and a thundering slam. He immediately turned and brought the rifle up and put the tank on the crosshairs and fired once. The whole thing happened in what seemed like slow motion. The fire issuing from the nozzle of the seventy five millimeter gun barrel. Then about a half second later the tank exploding into a massive fireball as the almost microscopic piece of super enriched uranium exploded and vaporized the top part of the tank.
He relaxed his tensions for a bit and looked around, he was on the north side of the canyon wall of Valis Marines the layers of red rock different colors. Then Bill returned with an unwelcome guest. The cruiser had arrived. It seemed to float over the huge canyons, it was falling, its size made it look like it was floating. That was more then he could bare.
The image shut down and he nearly kicked open the hatch release on the door. Tae stepped out into the relative brightness of dusk, the Martian sky all sorts of colors.
He saw Johnson's suit was preparing for the mission, its various parts moving and twitching, like some massive brainless sleeping creature. He jumped off the platform and made his way down the rest of the way to the ground. He grabbed a box from a pile nearby and started eating its contents.
"Great vacuum packed sandwiches, probably fifty percent soy." he mumbled
"like everything edible on this base." Johnson yelled from his suit.
"What can you expect its from Earth!" Tae shouted back.
"ha" they both laughed quickly and Tae then got absorbed into the vacuum packed goodness of his sandwich.
The small fighter orbited about 100Km above the surface of mars, Emilio watched through the enhanced vision as a rather large ship plunged into the atmosphere on a controlled descent.
"Some presents for the Terries"
He tapped a small green glowing button on his right wrist and sent the pre-made prescribed message to the commander of the Dredge Suit regiment below him on the surface. He went back into a relaxed position as the black of night swept its way across the planet.
"Another night of mistrust and waiting"
He waited for fifteen minutes before he saw what he was expecting, two figures, Suits moved out of the base camp that he was watching over.
"No more waiting for them"
"Sir there are tanks ahead" a smoke trail and the thundering of large guns told them that some other group of suits had engaged this smaller patrol from the main group heading to the bottom of Pavonis.
"looks like someone else is interested in not letting these tanks out alive"
"sir?" Johnson asked "are we going to help"
They cleared a small rise in a prone position and saw below them some tanks caught between two low rises, on either side of the tanks were Suits, dug in, only about a fourth of their bodies were uncovered. Tae could see one smoking ruin of a tank, near it were three other tanks and a large Dredge suit, most likely a fire support vehicle. There were four suits surrounding the tanks and a fifth was on the ground, its leg had considerable damage and Tae figured it was out of commission for this battle. The other suits were medium size front line. Even though they had obviously had the element of surprise it looked as if they were losing.
The closest one had a rather large auto cannon, that was the commander or the most skilled pilot. It was almost beautiful the way the pilot used his suit. He seemed not to be aiming for the enemy tanks but was trying to hit the ground as much as possible. Tae increased the sight enhancement until he saw what the pilot was aiming for. He fired one of his high explosive slugs. Four or five milliseconds passed while the slug was traveling from the end of the barrel to right on top of the mine.
A small explosion sent a small shockwave across the low slope, then four then five explosions sent dust and shrapnel across the small plain. The Tanks were thrown into the air and the Suit was almost torn in half but its dense armor protected the Suit from everything but it's paint being skinned off by the sand. Tae moved the gun up and fired two armor piercing rounds into the center of the Suit right were the engine and the hydraulics were. No doubt they would want the pilot alive.
"Tae what the hell just happened?" Johnson said excitedly
It had taken less then five seconds for all of this to occur.
"There were mines, most likely remote detonated, set here to destroy that patrol." but the strange thing was the fact that such a skilled pilot like the commander in the big suit down there would use mines that would not destroy the large suit behind the tank, unless..
"What was that?" a woman's voice asked over the common band
"The mines went off late" an older Russian man's voice answered
"will someone help me up my leg hydraulics aren't working." a younger man said most likely the fallen suit's pilot
"why?" the woman answered "your no use anyway"
"c'mon that's not fair" the fallen suit's pilot whimpered
"exactly all you do is eat and get hurt right before battle." the Russian man said
"For gods sake help him up and somebody damage that Terrie commander so he doesn't move" a strong voice said with a small bit of annoyance most likely the commander
"Sir" said the woman " the Terrie command suit is crippled and it wasn't the explosion that did it"
"I know there is a sniper on the ridge behind me" the commander said
No doubt this guy was good, Tae had been told that night by Longfleck that he would most likely meet him. Ray Montero, a raider, a pirate, and a terran. Most of the time Tae thought of terrans as short chubby and paranoid (on Mars at least).
Tae aimed his rifle at the ground right below the recently standing fallen suit. He squeezed off a round.
"duhhh!!" there was a strange cry over the com. As the suit fell over again.
"Okay so there are snipers" the whiner in the crippled suit yelled "somebody help me up again"
"Okay you can come out now we know your talented" Ray said
Tae smirked and moved his suit position to standing and ran down the hill.
Colonial Jakk Luquae felt the shudder as the two bullets pierced his suit's heavy polycarbon/titanium armor and hit his hydrogen engine. The sniper had skill not to hit the fuel tank, or him for that matter. He knew that right now it was his obligation as a commander to kill himself with the small dose of cyanide that he had in his vest pocket. He was a self-preservationist, even he realized that without shame and he knew that if he was a loyal informant and talked a lot that the Mars forces would treat him well. The few tanks that were with him were computer controlled so he didn't mind losing them, if they were real men he would have never given up this willingly, he may be concerned for his own life but he certainly wouldn't let soldiers die for him to just talk.
"Ok you can take me" he said calmly into the common band "I don't care, damn wars pointless anyway"
He never did really side with the Earth forces on this war, who cares if mars gets its freedom, let them have it. He did like the Martians way of thinking anyway, "Don't bother us and we won't bother you." which was like most thinks in the universe.
"So a Terrie actually doesn't want mars for himself" one of his captors said, though he wouldn't call them captors, more like liberators.
"so how do you plan on getting me back to your base?" Jakk asked as if he was anxious to go.
"Our base is just fifteen Km away" the leader said "there is a rover that will take you back to our base automatically"
Tae walked past the remains of one of the tanks.
"you are Sergeant Ray Montero?" Tae asked
"Yes" Ray paused "and you are?"
"Tae Namosi second sniper division, thirty fourth Angels wish.." he was cut off by Ray
"Under the command of commander G. Longfleck"
"I assume that you got the same orders I did to fallow that column of vehicles two Kilometers up Pavonis and make sure they." Tae cut him off with a private transmission
"Don't finish that, my babysitting. I mean partner is on a need to know basis, he thinks that we are making sure it doesn't find any of the troops stationed in hiding"
"Hmm" Ray grunted, "my men are not on that type of basis so talk freely around them"
"Were they given a status on your accord?" Tae asked skeptically
"I would appreciate if you would not tell any high ranking official that"
Tae was interrupted by Johnson's face on the HUD
"What was he saying?"
"Exactly our orders"
Tae watched from the shade of his suit's leg as the group interrogated the TSF commander. They were not being rough with him, in fact he seemed like he was enjoying betraying his side. It wasn't any matter to him, he could say he was given some type of drug or psychologically tortured to tell. Tae tossed the leftovers of his meal off to the side. Ray walked up to him.
"who are these people?"
"the legendary OS.'
"you're the commander?"
"Yes, Just recently, you know about the cruiser Xythos right?" Ray asked
"Yes, I heard it got the crap beaten out of it by OS" Tae answered, he continued "lemme guess that was you that led them to victory"
Ray was silent. The Russian came up to them.
"Ray" They didn't use any of the usual military respectfulness "the TSF has given us all we want"
"let him go"
Tae had no objections, he didn't care. All he wanted was to get rid of the baby.
"Wait!" Tae almost yelled
"send my partner with the TSF commander to the base."
Ray and the Russian knew what Tae wanted out of this.
Tae went to sleep in his Dredge Suit, he liked the view for some reason. He liked being a couple of meters taller. He was sitting down in the suit, the seat was comfortable, but not a bed. Tae learned in their conversation that Ray had trained with the original OS crew. A French man, A Martian native and Vladimir. The French man had died in the battle of xythos. The Martian went home to his family after his sister died. Vladimir had no family, seemed incapable of dieing and was a great fighter and a survivor. Ray had taken command of OS after the death of the French man.
He drifted off to sleep. He had another dream this night. He was in a battle, he recognized it. There was a flash of light and an explosion. He was thrown back, drifting forever, swallowed up by the black ness of space.
He jumped out of his sleep with a cry, It was almost one in the morning. it was quite, Peaceful. Peaceful except the thuds of feet, huge feet. He was about to switch on a camera when an image came up. It showed a video feed from the shoulder of the suit. He was luck he had hid his suit before he fell asleep. It looked as if a large group of suits were walking through their camp. He received a text message from his companions.
That is a TSF convoy,
Jack in the box,
In thirty seconds, These are not Mars forces,
Confirm with text message.
Tae quickly typed in a message and waited. The thundering of feet still around him. His suit wasn't exactly well hidden, not visually. He was invisible to radar though and most other current forms of detecting large semi-metallic objects. These suits were most likely driven by an IA aboard the suit , any human pilot would have notice the encampment but AI's depended on radar alone. It would take the computers a couple of seconds to realize they were under attack if there wasn't any explosions. He thought that a squad like the OS would be thinking the same thing. He silently switched hands, his suit could handle shooting with the left hand. His suit grabbed the dagger from it's left side, Charlett knew what was going on. The dagger had a strong electromagnet in it, it caused havoc within the suit or tank it was driven into.
The timer on the HUD went off silently. He popped the suit into a standing position. The nearest suit was a small scout.
"Now!!!!" Ray shouted over the comlink.
Tae Pushed the throttle up and his suit shot at the small scout. His suit was a great deal bigger then the tiny scout. The small suit toppled over and was crushed underfoot as Charlett ran over it.
"This is fun!" The woman yelled over the com
"hmm" Tae grunted as his suit bounded towards a huge artillery suit, about twice the size of Charlett.
"This one won't be a pushover" Tae thought as he brought the knife back and jumped. Before he knew what happened there was an explosion and the artillery suit was a lot less then it used to be.
Two other suits had been knocked down because of the blast. He was on them, both were out of action and he was searching for another target when he heard the strange sound of a particle accelerator firing. There was a massive green light burst from his right. Tae had always wanted to put jets on his suit, now was one of those times when he wished he had them. He jumped as high as he could into the air the particle beam nicking his suit's foot.
"there goes an actuator" he thought as the suit landed and was brought down to one knee. He fired a burst of rockets and saw as they exploded, their incendiary warheads nearly melting the alloy of the suit with the particle accelerator.
"Always wanted one of those" He said, he picked the gun up from the fiery suit. Putting the knife away and accessing the gun. Charlett could hack into the gun in no time, especially if it was army issue. He waited and the shock of another suit exploding slipped his finger onto the trigger. A green light issued from the chamber and the beam of particles deposited itself into a Suit standing in front of Tae. For a minute Tae was surprised as the suit crumbled to the ground, It's electronics totally gutted.
The battle passed as if like a dream. Every so often a suit would explode next to him . He used up the remaining shells in the particle accelerator and dropped it. Picking up a huge gatling auto cannon. He never used one of these before. As he was hacking into the gun AI ha Small suit sneaked up on him. He turned around just as it took six auto cannon rounds to the chest before exploding
Tae looked to se what had happened and there was rays suit standing there with the gun barrel smoking.
"I owe you one" Tae said
"no " Ray said "we're even"
The battle raged on for another half an hour and Tae and ray stuck together, Tae tried a few more guns, including a Suit sized shotgun before he decided to stick with a medium sized auto cannon. In the end tae had racked up at least twenty kills and ray a few less.
In the end they had managed to destroy close to two platoons (a Dredge platoon consists of thirty five suits) before the remaining suits ran. They had been lucky. If those suits had been real pilots they would not have survived. They spent the greater part of the next day salvaging rockets, ammo, guns, missiles, they even found a small air transport.
Ray's face came up on Tae's screen as he was looking at a Laser cannon.
"Your patrol is about fifteen kilometers ahead of us, we might want to move out" Ray said
"Lets go"
"Alright you heard the man lets move"
Tae pushed the throttle to full and dropped the laser cannon. He switched the Sniper Rifle from his Suit's left to its right hand. The Martian G made the suits strides massive, a few meters long. Tae reached 103kph before he decided to level it off.
He saw two of the OS slightly to his left. Ray's suit was slightly behind his and Vladmir's was last in the line. They ran for the rest of that day.
Tae checked his messages and found that Dimitri had sent him another information package. He immediately set his suit to autopilot and looked at it.
"Apparently that column of suits we massacred came from the elevator, looks like they were on their way to Devil's ridge"
"Reinforcements for the siege"
Devil's ridge was a large city south of tharsis, it had been the Hotpoint of the ground war. It originally belonged to the terran confederation but MF had taken control of it as the first major military engagement. The TSF's decided they wanted it for a HQ so they tried to take the southern portion of the city. They took part of it and their advancement slowed to a halt. Lately MF had been gaining ground and were only ten blocks away from the TSF's HQ building.
"looks like we saved MF some trouble" The woman commented.
"They still hate you though" Tae replied
"We don't like them either"
"Quite" it was Vladimir "I have a contact"
The convoy that they had been stalking stopped just three Kilometers ahead of them. There was an outpost of some kind there. Their radar readouts showed a large amount of activity there.
"what do you think Tae?" Ray asked
"The radar doesn't show us enough to know numbers, and there could be hidden gun emplacements all around." Tae replied
"We should send a scout" Vladmir answered
"Ok" Tae launched Bill, The canister fired and Tae saw Bill whisk of, Bill flew at 5,000 feet, that was high enough not to show up on radar, or the naked eye.
"What was that?"
"I've heard of those, they were made as a spin-off of the cipher supposed to be a more compact scout and easily carried by ground troops." Vladmir continued "How long did it take you to get one?"
"Not that long, actually it was an impulse buy, I got it off the terran black market." He went on "Cost me more to ship it though."


text:
Department: DGE – Global Ecology
Location: Stanford
We seek to understand the effectiveness of proposed solutions to climate and energy problems, and whether these proposed solutions would themselves be cause for environmental concern. Possible technologies and approaches could include widespread deployment of wind turbines, ocean thermal energy conversion, vortex engines, and solar geoengineering. It is hoped that the understanding gained would help both to reduce environmental damage and to alleviate poverty.
Successful candidates will play major roles in planning and executing these investigations and communicating the results through peer-reviewed publications and direct engagement with public and private decision makers. Much of our work relies on the use of global climate models, but other geophysical, geochemical, and/or economic models may be applied if appropriate to the problem. Candidates who want to work on allied fundamental science (e.g., understanding the atmospheric kinetic energy cycle) will also be considered.
The position will involve working with Ken Caldeira at the Carnegie Institution for Science Department of Global Ecology on the Stanford University campus. We maintain an exciting collegial atmosphere, working in a diverse group that includes climate modelers, energy-system analysts, and field researchers.
Positions are available now and we are flexible with regard to start date. Candidates should apply if they can start within the next 18 months. The number of people hired into these positions will depend on the number of exceptional candidates applying.
Compensation for these positions includes a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits. The initial term will be for one year with the potential for renewal for a second year up to a maximum of four years. Carnegie Institution postdocs have access to most Stanford facilities.
Candidates with a PhD in physical sciences or engineering, or comparable experience, are particularly encouraged to apply. Achievement in the area of scientific publication, or comparable evidence of being able to complete high quality work in a timely manner, is a primary filter determining which applications receive greater consideration.
Informal inquiries about these positions can be made by emailing Ken Caldeira at email@example.com however formal applications for employment must be submitted by clicking on the blue bar below. To be considered, please include a cover letter and CV.
The Carnegie Institution is an equal-opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, sex, age, physical condition, or country of national origin.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Doctor insights on:
Alcohol Effect On Reaction Time
How does blood alcohol content affect your reaction time?
Alcohol effects: When alcohol reaches the brain, it has the ability to delay signals that are sent between nerve cells that control balance, thinking and movement. Specifically, hyper-activation of gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) A receptors. Activation of GABAA receptors by GABA tends to decrease neuronal excitability. This leads to impairment of both motor function and cognition following Ethanol consumption. ...Read more
I got drunk for the first time on vodka & now i can't even stand the smell of alcohol, it makes me want to throw up will the reaction ever go away?
Maybe, but why?: Saves money, saves excess calories, prevents reckless behaviors. No one "has to have" alcohol in their diet or life. If the revulsion passes, ok, drink in moderation to prevent second occurrence. If not, remind yourself of the positives. ...Read more
Is there really NO WAY to help alleviate the Asian flush reaction to alcohol?
Thankfully no.: Otherwise antabuse (disulfiram) wouldn't work. In both, the build up of acetaldehyde from alcohol accumulates. Ways to minimize it: drink less. Drink on full stomach Drink at a slower rate. DO NOT drink grapefruit juice it increases the alcohol that gets into the bloodstream and is available for this reaction. ...Read more
How to know if I have an allergic reaction to alcohol?
Couple things: Couple things here-first of all, there are medications well know to interact with alcohol: 'disulfiram reactions'. Common one: Flagyl. I saw this on an airplane; little old lady was beet red after a mixed drink. No harm. Also some people develop nasal congestion - wicked stuffed up - trick is certain drinks bother them, and not others. Or simply exaggerated flushing, such as with Rosacea. See MD. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
Can I have an allergic reaction to alcohol, how can I know?
Yes you can !: Symptoms of alcohol intolerance may include: headache, flushing, hives, nasal congestion, nausea/vomiting ; low blood pressure. ...Read more
Can alcohol in drinks cause an allergic reaction in someone?
Doubtful: Alcohol may cause increased nasal congestion and worsen an itchy condition but can't make another person allergic unless you count being drunk as allergic. ...Read more
What to do for allergic reaction from rubbing alcohol on body?
Benadryl (diphenhydramine): will help itching and swelling. If tightness of throat or trouble breathing develops seek immediate medical attention. Thanks for trusting HealthTap! ...Read more
Can you suddenly develop and an allergy to alcohol without any previous reaction?
Yes: Some can develop hives, nasal congestion and sneezing after ingesting alcoholic beverages and it occurs out of the blue. ...Read more
Can lorazepam be taken within hours of a small amount of alcohol? 1 drink. How serious of a reaction is possible
Depends on dose: of each. Both have sedative effects, and the effects could be more than the sum of each alone. It is probably best and safest not to mix them. ...Read more
Skin rash from alcohol, how can I help lessen reaction?
Not sure what you: Are experiencing. Jaundice? Dermatitis from using hand sanitizer? Dry skin? Hives? If you can provide a little more detail about what the rash looks like and why you link it to alcohol, that would really be helpful information. In the absence of that information the best suggestion I can offer is to see your primary MD or consider an urgent care visit so someone can examine you. Best wishes! ...Read more
- Talk to a doctor live online for free
- How does drugs and alcohol affect the reaction time?
- Nut allergy reaction time
- Poison oak reaction time
- Ask a doctor a question free online
- Gluten intolerance reaction time
- Lactose intolerance reaction time
- The importance of reaction time in football
- Xanax time to take effect
- Alcohol affects reaction time


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In this video spotlight, Nankya Senungi from College Possible shares her thoughts on using Signal Vine's texting platform. This video was filmed at the Signal Vine user event in Detroit.
College Possible initially used the Signal Vine platform to combat summer melt and increase their connections with students. Today, College Possible texts with 5,000 students that are enrolled in college to improve matriculation rates.
In this video, Nankya shares her program's motivation for using texting, the types of nudges she's sending, and their implementation process - watch her video below!
Thanks, Nankya!
Interested in sharing your Signal Vine experience in a video spotlight?
About College Possible: College Possible is a nonprofit organization that is devoted to making college admissions achievable for low-income students.
About Nankya: Nankya is the Program Manager at College Possible and has been managing College Possible's texting program with Signal Vine for the past 2.5 years.


text:
Discussion in 'Staff College and Staff Officers' started by msr, Feb 10, 2007.
The heart of the site is the forum area, including:
I still find it ridiculous that after all this time and fighting two such operations for some years, there still isn't a formal COIN manual listed here. The counter-guerilla manual doesn't cut it.
I know there was a draft copy (FM 3.07) which was written in 2004 but that draft "expired" last year. It wasn't v good (pretty much a bastardisation of the UK AFM Vol 1 Pt 10 with some utterly bizarre Americanisms thrown in for good measure) but it was something.
Perhaps the US has just given up with even attempting to deal with the idea of "hearts and minds".
Any yanks out there who can comment?
FM 3-24 (Counterinsurgency) was released in Dec of '06. The current CIC in Iraq, Gen. Petraeus oversaw it's production.
Here is the LINK (caution, very large PDF).
Cheers, Virgil
First look it is a huge step forward. Good news that the USMC are using the same document. Their Small Wars Manual was v good but it was a little dated.
I like the bit
I take it that's the English giving the Scots and Irish a good kicking!?
I also like
It is generally best to learn from lessons closest to home. A lesson that appears to have been learned in the production of this document.
All we need now is for the yanks at a tactical level to start applying the mentality called for. Perhaps in time for the next war?
Never mind that.
Have a look at this one. There was a link to it from the URL MSR put up.
Cheers matelot that link gave me ten minutes of fun!
" How are you getting on in the colonies Virgil? Managing alright since we left are you?"
Interesting Document Virgil.
I thought that the following was particularly pertinent:
Separate names with a comma.


text:
Mammoth Village Monache, 1 Bedroom(23 Reviews)
The owner has been emailed.
To book this property, you need to complete your booking through checkout on the VRBO website. We can't protect your payment if we don't know you've booked through us. Learn more
- Minimum stay:1-7 nights
- Sleeps:4
- Bedrooms:1
- Bathrooms:1
- Property type:Condo
- Internet:Yes
- Pets considered:Yes
- Wheel chair accessible:Yes
About the Property
Luxurious 1-bedroom suites (2 available) in the Village Monache . This bright 1-bedroom suite features: a fully equipped expanded kitchenette with granite countertops, living room area with a 32" flat screen TV (cable provided), free wireless internet, a balcony with beautiful views. There is a king size bed with a plush heavenly mattress, ample closet space, and a queen sleeper sofa.
Monache is the best Mammoth has to offer in luxury accommodation. The Monache at the Village, while technically part of the Village, is located across the street from the Village restaurants, shopping and nightlife. It is short walk to gondola which will take you to the slopes of Mammoth Mountain. Monache Resort is located in the same building as the Westin Monache and it was first opened in 2008. The Monache is newer, has nicer finishes and furniture and is quieter than Village rentals.
Enjoy the many amenities the Monache has to offer such as: full 24-hour gym with locker room, year-round heated swimming pool and Jacuzzi, BBQ area, ski rentals onsite, coin-operated laundry facilities, also secured free underground parking. The Monache also offers in-house dining at the lovely Whitebark restaurant.
Book in room massage, dine at White Bark or just relax by the fireplace in your suite with a glass of wine watching the snow fall on the pines.
In the summer the bike shuttle and trolley are steps away and the Village offers exciting events, wine tastings, concerts, restaurants and shopping. Watch movies under the stars and roast marshmallows in the fire pit. Lots of games are scattered throughout the Village square. There is something for adults and kids alike.
You may add mid-stay partial cleaning for $35.00
*There is usually a 3 or 4 night minimum stay during Holidays.
**There is a 3 night minimum stay for almost all weekends. Please DO NOT use "BOOK NOW" if you are booking for less than 3 nights. Minimum stays vary with occupancy and demand and may not be reflected correctly under rates.
***We typically set our nightly rates 4-6 months in advance. In the event you are looking to reserve our property farther in advance and rates are only displayed under our "standard rate" please inquire about our exact rates BEFORE making a "Book It Now" or "Instant Book" reservation. All Instant booking reservations are subject to cancellation and/or revised pricing if made during a time where only our "standard rates" are posted.
Please note that prior to arrival I reserve the right to switch guests from one unit to another of the same type in order to maximize my occupancy. (Just like a hotel). The unit type will always be the same.
We charge $49 for Property Damage Protection. This fee will release you for any accidental damage to the property up to $1,500. We do not collect a deposit. In the event there is damage in excess of $1,500 you will be responsible.
House Rules
Copies of drivers guests drivers licenses or passports are required for last minute bookings made within 7 days of arrival (unfortunately this is necessary as we have had guests pay with stolen credit cards).
*****Due to extreme difficulty finding a custom made part for the door handle and a lack of contractors willing to work on it, the balcony is currently inaccessible. We expect to have this fixed in April.
See my additional VRBO listings under the "Owners Info" tab and then the "All My Rental Listings" link.
Mammoth Lakes
Studio #304: VRBO Listing # 846990
Studio #417: VRBO Listing # 846993
1 Bedroom #519: VRBO Listing # 277101
1 Bedroom #306: VRBO Listing # 903892
2 Bedroom #641: VRBO Listing # 811956
2 Bedroom #541: VRBO Listing #846992
2 Bedroom #1407 Grand Sierra Lodge: VRBO Listing # 750765
Ocean front condos in Hawaii on the North Shore of Oahu located in the Turtle Bay Ocean Villas Resort.
Villa #211: 3 BR, 2BT VRBO Listing #846989
Villa #314: 3 BR, 2BT VRBO Listing ##846991
Beach rentals in Marina Del Rey CA (right next to Venice Beach)
4BR 3BT Penthouse: VRBO Listing # 846983
3 BR, 2BT: VRBO Listing # 846987
Studio: VRBO Listing #846988
When you're ready to book, here are some tips to keep in mind.
Paying with a credit card on VRBO protects your payment for up to $10,000 against listing fraud. We recommend completing your booking on VRBO.Verify your payment method
Member since: 2007
Property Type
- Condo
- 600 sq. ft.
House Rules
- Max. occupancy 4
- Non Smoking Only
- Pets Considered
Accommodation Type
- Vacation Rental
- Guests Provide Their Own Meals
- Wheelchair Accessible
Bedrooms: 1 Bedroom, Sleeps 4, Beds for 4
Other Amenities
- All units in the Westin Monache are individually owned. Most homeowners contract with the Westin to manage their unit. I refuse to pay the Westin a 60% commission and rent the units myself at discounted rates. When you rent from me you are technically not a Westin guest, however, you will have use of most of the important amenities. You DO have access to the pool, hot spas, gym, free underground parking and internet (at faster speeds than the hotels internet). Technically you are NOT supposed to be able to use the Westin shuttle, room service (you CAN order from the White Bark restaurant in the lobby or have numerous restaurants deliver food to your room) , valet parking or bell service but many guests are able to use these services anyway by asking politely and/or tipping. Most people agree that it is worth saving the money but if you absolutely require all services, you should rent directly from the Westin....moreless
- Satellite / Cable
- Television
- Away From It All
- Budget
- Family
- Romantic
- Sports & Activities
- Health/Beauty Spa
- Restaurants
Local Services & Businesses
- ATM/Bank
- Fitness Center
- Groceries
- Hospital
- Laundromat
- Massage Therapist
- Medical Services
Leisure Activities
- Boating
- Horseback Riding
- Shopping
- Sight Seeing
- Sledding
- Wildlife Viewing
Location Type
- Mountain View
- Resort
- Ski-In
- Ski-Out
Sports & Adventure Activities
- Cross Country Skiing
- Fishing
- Fly Fishing
- Freshwater Fishing
- Golf
- Hiking
- Hunting
- Mountain Biking
- Mountain Climbing
- Mountaineering
- Rock Climbing
- Skiing
- Snowboarding
- Snowmobiling
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Whitewater Rafting
- Dining Area
- Seating for 4 people
- Air Conditioning
- Broadband Access
- Clothes Dryer:
- Covered Parking
- Elevator
- Fireplace
- Garage
- Gas Fireplace
- Heating
- Linens Provided
- Coffee Maker
- Dishes & Utensils
- Dishwasher
The Kitchen in a Kitchenette. It Has Burners But No Oven. It is Fully Equipped with Pots, Pans, Dishes Etc for 4 People....moreless
- Microwave
- Pantry Items
- Refrigerator
- Stove
- Toaster
- Balcony
Pool / Spa
- Communal Pool
- Sauna
- Shared Hot Tub
RatesCurrency Conversion
|Weekend Night
|Monthly *
Late ski season
Apr 16 - Apr 30, 2017
3 night min stay
Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
Spring Season
May 1 - Jun 28, 2017
3 night min stay
Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
4th of July
Jun 29 - Jul 9, 2017
4 night min stay
Festival of Lights/ Xmas
Dec 14 - Dec 20, 2017
5 night min stay
Dec 21 - Dec 24, 2017
4 night min stay
Dec 25 - Jan 2, 2018
7 night min stay
Early 2018
Jan 3 - Jan 7, 2018
5 night min stay
Jan 8 - Jan 10, 2018
3 night min stay
MLK Holiday
Jan 11 - Jan 14, 2018
3 night min stay
Presidents Day/ Ski Week
Feb 15 - Feb 25, 2018
5 night min stay
Additional information about rental rates
- Booking fee $25 + tax
- Pet Fee $75 + tax
- Departure cleaning $75 + tax
- Property Damage Policy $49 + tax
- Tax Rate 14%
During ski season, there is a 3 night minimum during the weekends UNLESS there is still a vacancy on the Wednesday before the weekend OR if a 2 night stay starts/stops with another reservation. There is usually a 3 or 4 night minimum during Holidays. Minimum stays vary with occupancy and demand and may not be reflected correctly under rates.
Rates are subject to change until the reservation is confirmed.
The cancellation policy is you are able to cancel the reservation and receive a full refund if canceled 61 or more days prior to arrival. If canceled 31 to 60 days prior to arrival you will receive a full refund less a 7% cancellation fee. Although our stated policy is that the rental amount is forfeited if canceled within 30 days of arrival, we try our best to be fair to all parties and we will usually offer a partial credit for a future stay as long as the unit is re-rented.
Owner's cancellation policy:
100% refund for cancellations more than 60 days before check-in date.
Don't forget your vacation protection! Get protected now
Adding our Vacation Protection services can make sure your getaway goes smoothly, no matter what. We offer Cancellation Protection and Damage Protection so you can truly relax.
Car: Recommended
Owner info
Year Purchased: 2009
About the owner: I am an avid kiteboarder and skier. I am a real estate investor, mortgage broker and non practicing attorney.
Why the Owner Chose Mammoth Lakes, CA, USA:
The Monache is by far the nicest place to stay in Mammoth. You can park your car and never drive while staying there as the Gondola, restaurants and shops are steps away.
Contact us
Send email
- Primary: +1 4242628989 Please try looking for information before calling.
- Secondary: +1 3108804948 Please only use this number in case of emergency
Links to more information:
- Click Here to see All My Rental Listings
This listing was first published here in 2009.
Date last modified - Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Partner Offers
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- We'll back you with our Book With Confidence GuaranteeTM
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text:
Smooth, sophisticated and debonair with French revival style, the Premier Amor entertainment wall and console collection is certain to complement your home living room and entertainment area with its broad panels and shapely crown moulds. The collection is crafted from poplar solids with birch veneers finished in a Vintage Cherry stain with a hint of crimson. Select from expandable and stationary TV consoles for the entertainment unit best suited to your home and lifestyle.
Nothing on this page may be copied or reproduced without explicit permission.


text:
Sir Paul McCartney has extended his reversal of songwriting credits for the legendary Beatles partnership to his new UK album.
The millionaire musician sparked a row with Yoko Ono last year by putting his own name ahead of her late husband John Lennon's on a US release.
Now he has again put his name first on a live album shortly to be released at home and Europe to tie in with his tour.
In a longstanding tradition, the Lennon-McCartney tag has been used for all their Beatles compositions for decades.
But Sir Paul has been unhappy with the use of his former bandmate's name being given greater prominence for songs in which he had no input.
The most covered song of all time, Yesterday, was written solely by him after it came to him in a dream.
But when Sir Paul attempted to have his name first for the release of the Beatles Anthology, the move was vetoed by Ono.
He eventually went on to remedy his grievance by swapping the names around for the Back In The US album late last year.
And he has decided to stick with that arrangement for a modified version, Back In The World, which features the songs he will play in Europe.
The rock legend gave a long explanation for his actions after the US release, chronicling how the Lennon-McCartney credit had been decided when he was late for a meeting with his bandmate and their manager Brian Epstein.
In it he said: "I think it is fair and accurate for the songs that John declared were mine to carry my name first.
"This isn't anything I'm going to lose any sleep over, nor is it anything that will cause litigation, but it seems harmless to me, after more than 30 years of it being the other way, for people like Yoko, who have benefited, and who continues to benefit, from my past efforts to be a little generous and to not have a problem with this suggestion of how to simply map out for those who do not know who wrote which of the songs."
A total of 21 songs are credited "composed by Paul McCartney and John Lennon" on the new album.
Among the tracks on the album - and which he will play live for his European tour later this month - is a tribute to Lennon.
The song, Here Today, was originally included on his 1982 Tug Of War album.
- More about:
- Paul Mccartney
- The Beatles
- Yoko Ono


text:
Excellent blog about resolving project dependencies into a Shrinkwrap archive for Arquillian. Now I just hope Pax Exam takes note for OSGi testing.
The use case which lead to the birth of the ShrinkWrap project may be summed up: identify deployments for simplified integration testing.
So we built an API which made it easy to group resources together in a single deployable unit:
JavaArchive archive = ShrinkWrap.create(JavaArchive.class, "deployment.jar") .addClass(MyEjb.class, MyCdiBean.class);
Combined with the Arquillian Test Platform which deploys objects like the above into Application Servers, Servlet Containers, and IoC Containers, the result is a full integration test which writes and executes like a unit test. This is the heart of the Arquillian component model.
ShrinkWrap excels at filing byte-based content into a tree structure; that's all a virtual filesystem does (or should do!). But for a long while now there's been a divide which has made testing more complex deployments difficult: you might not always have the content you want to insert on-hand. Consider the following use cases:
- A CDI bean which has…
View original post 638 more words


text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Publication date
|Nov 19, 1963
|Filing date
|Aug 8, 1961
|Priority date
|Aug 8, 1961
|Publication number
|Wilmotte Raymond M
|Original Assignee
|Wilmotte Raymond M
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Non-Patent Citations (1), Referenced by (21), Classifications (13)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
Nov. 19, 1963 R. M. WILMOTTE 3,111,656
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPTICALLY PROCESSING INFORMATION Filed Aug. 8, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR fiaymarzd/Z WZZW;
United States Patent Ofi ice 3,1 1 1,666 Patented Nov. 19, 1963 3,111,666 NETHUD AND APPARATUS FUR OPTICALLY PRQCESSING INFO. TIQN Raymond M. Wilmette, 6 Newlin Road, Princeton, NJ. Filed Aug. 8, 1961, Ser. No. 130,010 14 Claims. (Cl. 343-13) The present invention relates to the field of optical information processing, particularly by means of optical cross-correlation techniques. This invention is described herein with particular reference to radar and the processing of radar information, to obtain an indication or measure of target range; however, the application of the invention to radar is only exemplary, in order to facilitate a complete understanding of the invention and its operation, and it is not to be construed as limited to this application.
A basic tool utilized in the particular specific embodiment of the present invention described herein is a transparent, ultrasonic bi-refractive, solid delay line sandwiched between crossed light polarizens. The delay line is associated with a transducer for converting an electrical signal into a coresponding ultrasonic wave, as the intelligence or information input to the line; while a beam of light is applied through the polarizers and the delay line transversely thereof and is modified by the sonic energy of the intelligence input. The sonic energy of the input signal travels down the delay line, and the stresses introduced by this energy cause a bifractive effeet on the light passing through the delay line, consequently affecting the light pattern emerging from the delay line-polarizer system. This modulation of the light at any particular instant for a given point along the de lay line is a function of the ultrasonic signal or waveform present at that point. Thus, the intensity of light passed by the system at any selected point along the delay line varies in time in accordance with the input signal. Likewise, the emergent overall light intensity pattern for the entire length of the delay line corresponds to the ultrasonic waveform present along the line at any particular instant, and this overall emergent light pattern of course varies in time in accordance with a continuing information or input signal to the line.
If two such delay line-polarizer systems are employed, and arranged so that a single beam of light passes through both systems serially, while a first input signal is applied to one delay line transducer and a second input signal is applied to the other delay line transducer, the light output of the combined system is the cross-correlation function of the two input signals, and obtains a maximum time integrated light output for the system where the waveforms on the two delay lines are identical and in spatial registry along their respective lines. Thus, if a signal is transmitted for radar purposes having a waveform f (t) (which may be a pulse, or other waveform such as a random noise signal), in a time period thereafter the echo signal is received from a target and it has a waveform f t). The received signal may be identical to the transmitted signal, or it may vary therefrom a Doppler frequency if there is'relative motion between the radar station and the target. In accordance with the present invention, the transmitted signal is applied to one delay line transducer, while the received signal is applied to the other delay line transducer. The maximum integrated light intensity pattern emergent from the system appears at the point along the delay lines where registering portions of the two traveling Waveforms f (t) and R(t) obtain identity, or are most nearly identical, or where the received signal obtains maximum correlation with the transmitted signal. Since the point along the delay lines where this identity or maximum correlation occurs is a function of the time delay between application of the two signals to their respective delay lines, this point is a measure of the range of the target. It is understood, of course, that references in this specification to waveforms 3,0) and f U) as received and transmitted signals, are intended to refer to the modulations of the carrier, or to an intermediate frequency of the carrier if desired, as is conventional in radar processing techniques.
In accordance with the prior art, systems of the type described above are arranged or designed so that the transmitted and received signals travel in opposite directions along their respective delay lines, and the point of maximum correlation being detected as identical portions of the two signals cross each other spatially in their respective delay lines. In such an arrangement it is apparent that the range or spatial time delay scale obtained by the system has a fixed relation to the velocity of the sonic energy in the delay line medium. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that since the two signals are traveling in opposite directions on their delay lines, zero range is at the delay lines mid-point. Consequently, only one-half of the delay line system is being effectively utilized in the range scale. The present invention contemplates the expansion or variation of the spatial time delay or range scale of the system, along with eifective utilization of the entire delay line system. Basically, this improvement is accomplished by causing the two signals to travel in the same direction in their respective delay lines, but with the received or time delayed signal traveling in its delay line at what may be considered an effective or an apparent greater velocity than the transmitted or base signal in its delay line. Thus, although the two signals are caused to travel in the same direction along their respective delay lines, spatial coincidence or registry is nevertheless obtained between corresponding portions of the two signals, and the point of coincidence along the delay line system constitutes a measure of the time delay between transmission and reception of a given signal or portion of a signal hence becomes a measure of the target range.
What is herein termed an effective or apparent greater velocity for the received signal than for the transmitted signal in the respective delay lines, is accomplished in accordance with the present invention by interposing in optical system between the two delay lines so as to compress the light pattern emergent from the first or transmitted signal delay line in the length or signal traveling dimension thereof. This compressed light pattern is then passed through the second or received signal delay line thereby effecting a lesser operational length for this delay line. Thus, although the actual signal velocity along the second delay line may be the same as that along the first, the time of traverse of a given received signal along its shorter length of delay line is less than the time of traverse of a given transmitted signal along its longer length of delay line. By selecting an appropriate ratio of first to second delay line lengths, a desired ratio of spatial scale to actual time delay between the two signals may be obtained from the system.
It is accordingly one object of the present invention to provide for the cross-correlation of two signals having substantially similar waveforms, or substantially similar structures in their waveforms.
Another object of the present invention is to provide for the measurement of the time displacement between two signals having substantially similar waveforms or substantially similar structures in their waveforms, by optical cross-correlation techniques.
Another object of the present invention is to provide for selection of a desired spatial time scale in the measurement by optical cross-correlation techniques of the time displacement between two signals having substantially similar waveforms or substantially similar structures in their waveforms.
Another object of the present invention is to provide for selection of a desired spatial time scale in the optical cross-correlation of two time displaced signals having substantially similar waveforms or substantially similar structures in their waveforms, in ascertaining the time displacement thereof.
Still .another object of the present invention is to provide for the selection of a desired spatial time scale in the processing of radar information by optical crosscorrelation techniques, in ascertaining the range measurement of a target.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention Will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the following detailed description of exemplary specific embodiments thereof, had in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like or corresponding parts and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a schematic showing of an optical crosscorrelator as utilized in the prior art;
FIG. 2 is an illustrative graphic plot of light intensity versus stress as passed by a delay line and crossed polarizer system as illustrated in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a schematic showing of an optical cross-correlator having one embodiment of optical image compres sion as utilized in the present invention; and
FIG. 4 is a schematic showing of an optical cross-correlator having a second embodiment of optical image compression as utilized in the present invention.
With particular reference to the optical cross-correlator shown in FIG. 1, the signal processing system thereof comprises two transparent, solid, ultra-sonic, bi-refractive delay lines 11 and 12, sandwiched between crossed light polarizer films 13, 14 and 15. The delay line panels are preferably formed of fused quartz, and have substantial length in their X dimension. The input end of each delay line has coupled thereto an electrical-sonic transducer, 16 for line 11, and 17 for line 12. These transducers are preferably piezo-electric devices having suitable electrodes for application of an electric signal. The end of each delay line remote from the input transducer is provided with a sonic energy absorber, 18 for line 11, and 19 for line 12, for absorbing the sonic energy traveling down the line, and preventing or minimizing reflections of sonic energy which would interfere with subsequent input signal waveforms on the delay line.
Delay line 11 is sandwiched between polarizers 13 and 14, which are crossed, or whose axes are displaced 90 relative to each other. Also, it is preferred that these polarizers be oriented at 45 relative to the line of travel X of sonic energy down the delay line 11 when compressional waves are being employed. In the case of shear waves, it is preferred that the orientation be parallel and perpendicular to the direction of travel of the energy. These respective relationships provide maximum sensitivity for the system. Delay line 12 is sandwiched between crossed polarizers 14 and 15, which occupy the same relationship to line 12 and to each other as do polarizers 13 and 14 to line 11 and to each other. Wherefore, it follows that polarizer is oriented the same as polarizer 13.
The system is energized by or operates on a parallel beam of light 20 emanating from light source 30 and lens 31, which passes through the polarizer film 13 through the delay line 11 transverse to the line of travel X of sonic energy therein, through polarizer 14, and then similarly through delay line 12 and polarizer 15, to emerge upon a light integrating screen 21, which may be the photoconductor plate of a television type camera tube 22, for example. The light pattern emergent from line 11 may, of course, desirably be optically focused on line 12, and similarly with respect to the transmission of light from line 12 to screen 21, by lens systems not shown. In passing through polarizer 13, light beam 20 is polarized in one plane. The polarized light then passes through delay line 11 to polarizer 14. If there is no sonic signal in line 11, essentially no light is passed by second polarizer 14-. However, the presence of a sonic signal on line 11 creates corresponding stresses in the quartz in accordance with the fine structure of the waveform of that signal, as it is distributed and travels along the delay line in the direction X. These stresses produce a bi-refractive effect on the light transmitted through the delay line, and therefore, the intensity of light emerging from second polarizer 14 varies sinusoidally with the stress, or the amplitude of the waveform present on the delay line. Thus, if a continuous electrical signal fflt) is applied to transducer 16, at any instant the light emergent from polarizer 14 obtains an intensity pattern along the dimension X which corresponds to the amplitude pattern or function contained in the input signal f (t) for that segment or portion of the signal distributed along the delay line at that particular instant. This emergent light intensity pattern varies with time, of course, as the signal f (t) is continued to be applied and as the signal travels down the line to the absorber 18. The other delay line 12 functions in the same manner in cooperation with polarizers 14 and 15, in response to the light beam pattern emergent from polarizer 14, and operates upon that light beam with an electrical input signal i (t). The ultimate light intensity pattern emergent from polarizer 15 embodies the crosscorrelation function of the two signals H0) and f U). Since the correlation function output is expressed in terms of light intensity, the emergent light pattern is integrated on a photoconductor screen 21, and may be conveniently read out electrically by electronic scanning of the screen 21.
The light intensity emergent from either delay linecrossed polarizer set of FIG. 1 for any given point along the dimension X, varies correspondingly with the amount of stress present at that point in the delay line according to a sinusoidal law as shown in FIG. 2. In the preferred embodiment of the invent-ion, a quarter-wave optical plate is inserted between each pair of crossed polarizers, at any convenient point. Thus one quarter-wave optical plate 23 is inserted between polarizers 13 and 14, and another quarter-wave optical plate 24 is inserted between polarizers 14 and 15. The purpose of the quarter-wave optical plates is to shift the origin of the stress-optical characteristic to a desired point on the curve of FIG. 2. When the axis of the quarter-wave plate is parallel or perpendicular to the length of X dimension of the respective associated delay line for compressional waves, or 45 to said X dimension for shear waves, the origin of the stressoptical characteristic is located at 0 This origin may be shifted to any point between 0 and 0 such as 0 by changing the orientation of the quarter-wave plate. The system is preferably set to have its origin at O in order to operate over the most linear portion of the stressoptical characteristic curve.
When utilizing the system of FIG. 1 to process radar information, an input signal is applied to transducer 16, and is designated as f -(t), this being the transmitted radar signal applied to transducer 16 substantially coincident with transmission thereof. The received radar signal designed f (t) is the input signal applied to transducer 17 substantially coincident with reception thereof. These signals may be pulses, or continuous signals having an appropriate repetitive or a random pattern. Each signal applied to the respective transducer is injected into the corresponding delay line and travels in a finite time as sonic energy along its length dimension X to the end of the delay line, where it is absorbed.
Thus, it is apparent that there is a time delay between the application of a given increment of signal f (t) to delay line 11, and the application of that increment after reflection by the target to delay line 12, as signal f (l). Assuming that the time of travel of a signal along the delay line is greater than the radio transmission-reflection time corresponding to the range of a target, a given increment of reflected signal f (t) traveling down delay line 12 will pass in spatial coincidence with the corresponding increment of transmitted signal f (t) traveling in delay line 11 at some point along the X dimerision of the delay lines. Since the location of this point varies with the time lapse between transmission and reception of the given signal increment, the location of this point becomes a measure of the range of the target.
The cross-correlation of signals HO) and f (t) is a maximum at said point of spatial coincidence of these two signals, providing a maximum complementing of light modulation to accord with the double crossed polarizers 13, 14 and 15, and a maximum quantity of light output over a period of time. The light output pattern emergent from polarizer film |15 is integrated on photoconductor screen 21. For a particular target range, the maximum integrated light output value occurs at a particular point on screen 21, and this value or reading may be detected by electronic scanning of the screen, such as with a television camera tube 22, or alternatively by incorporating the photoconductor screen as one layer of a photooonductive electroluminescent light amplifier panel.
B will be readily appreciated that in the system shown in FIG. 1, zero time delay between signal f -(t) and si nal f U) provides cross-correlation of the two signals and a maximum integrated light output emergent from polarizer 15 at the center of the delay lines along the T axis. As the time delay increases from zero, the maximum integrated light output area move-s up along the delay lines in the direction of the T axis. Thus, since time is a function of range, the location of maximum integrated light output, as detected by screen 21 and read out by camera tube 22, becomes a measure of' target range. Since in radar applications, the received signal f (t) is always delayed with respect to the transmitted signal f- (t), only one-half, the upper half, of the delay line system is utilized in measurement. Further, only one spatial scale for the range measurement is available, and that is dependent upon the velocity of sonic energy in the delay lines.
In accordance with the present invention, the full length of the delay lines is utilized, and various spatial scales for range measurements may be selected. One embodiment of such a system is shown in FIG. 3. This system includes all the elements of FIG. 1, which have been correspondingly numbered, and further detailed description of these corresponding elements and of their function and operation is not necessary. However, the system of FIG. 3 differs from that of FIG. 1 in several material respects. Delay line 12 is shorter than delay line 11; the signal input transducers 16 and 17 are located at corresponding ends of the respective delay lines 11 and 12 so that input signals f (t) and 5,0) travel in the same direction along the lengths of the respective delay lines; and a lens system 51 is interposed between delay lines 11 and 12 designed to compress the light image emergent from delay line 11 before it impinges on delay line 12, as indicated by the dotted lines A A and B B By making delay line 12 shorter than delay line 11, it is apparent that an input signal will travel from one end to the other of the shorter delay line in a lesser time than in the longer delay line. And by compressing the light pattern emergent from line 1 1 to correspond with the shorter line 12, signals traveling along line 12 effectively, or appear, to travel faster than signals along line :11. Thus, it signals f (t) and f (t) are applied to their delay lines simultaneously, maximum integrated light output from crosscorrelation between these signals is obtained at the T axis. As a time delay between the signals 73-0) and f U) is increased, the point of maximum correlation moves up along the delay lines toward the T and T axes, with the maximum delay measurable on the system being at the T axis. The ratio of time delay between input signals to spatial displacement of the maximum correlation point along the delay lines increases in direct relation to an increase in the difference in length between the delay lines. In other word-s, the T scale in the drawings is expanded as the lengths of the delay lines are changed toward equality, and the T scale is compressed as delay line 12 is made shorter relative to line 11.
The same results as described above may be obtained by means of a prism instead of the lens system of FIG. 3. This is illustrated in FIG. 4, where the elements have been numbered correspondingly with those of FIGS. 1 and 3. As in FIG. 3, in FIG. 4 both input signals f (t) and f O) are introduced in the corresponding ends of the delay lines 11 and 12, and delay line =12 is shorter than line 11. In place of the lens system 51, a prism 441 is employed to compress the light pattern emergent from line 11, the degree of compression being a function of the angle of the prism, and being related to the angle of refraction of the light 0 by the equation 1 1 A B being the length of the optical image after refraction, and A B being the length before refraction (see FIG. 4). Delay line 112 should of course be tilted relative to line 11 by an amount equal to the angle of refraction in order to be oriented perpendicularly to the beam of light.
In each of the specific embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, delay line 12 is shorter than delay line 1-1. This is done because the optical image emergent from line 11 has been compressed, and the length of line 12 has been chosen to correspond thereto. However, the same elfect may be obtained even if line 1'2 is equal in length or longer than line 11, provided that the input end of the line 12 adjacent transducer 17 is placed at the lower end of the optical image, or at the T line B B It will be readily appreciated, of course, that in such a situation the eife'ctive portion of line 12. cooperating in the optical processing operation is still shorter than line 11 and corresponds in length to the length of the compressed optical image impinged upon the line 12. Also, it should be apparent that the T scale [spatial displacement of the crosscorrelation point along the line 12r for a given time delay between the two signals H0) and f (t)] can be made variable. This may be accomplished by providing two adjustments: the first adjustment being in the image compressing optical system (51 in FIG. 3, and 41 in HG. 4) to adjust the size of optical image caused to impinge upon line 12; and the second adjustment being in the position of line 12 relative to line 11 in order that the T point on the line 12. may be caused .to correspond with that point in the optical image applied to line 12, and in the case of FIG. 3 so that the line 12 may be oriented perpendicularly to the light image emerging from the prism 41 for various angles of refraction 0. By the term adjustment, substitution of different prism or lens systems is contemplated, as well as substitution of different prisms or lens and delay lirie couples for prism 41 and line 12 of FIG. 4 and lens 51 and line 12 of FIG. 3.
Other modifications and variations of the described speoific embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is understood that the described specific examples of the present invention are presented merely by way of example to facilitate a complete understanding of the invention, and such modifications, changes, or variations as are embraced by the spirit and scope of the appended claims, are contemplated as within the purview of the present invention.
What is claimed is:
1. An optical correlator comprising a first and second birefractive, transparent, sonic delay line, means for introducing a sonic energy signal into each of said delay lines,
means for transmitting a beam of light serially through said two delay lines, means for integrating the light pattern emergent from the two delay lines, crossed polarizers sandwiching each of said two delay lines, and means interposed between said first and second delay lines for compressing the light image emergent from the first delay line before said image is applied to said second delay line.
2. An optical correlator as set forth in claim '1, wherein said sonic energy introducing means are each located at corresponding ends of their respective delay lines to cause the signals introduced into both lines to travel in corresponding directions.
3. An optical correlator as set forth in claim 2, wherein said light image compressing means includes a prism.
4. An optical correlator as set forth in claim 2, wherein said light image compressing means includes a lens.
5. A system for processing radar information to obtain an indication of target range, comprising means for transforming a first signal, characteristic of the transmitted radar signal, into a form capable of affecting a beam of light in accordance with the waveform of the first signal, means for transforming a second signal, characteristic of the received radar echo signal, into a form capable of affecting a beam of light in accordance with the waveform of the second signal, first and second means for respectively conducting said two transformed signals past each other, means for :directing a beam of light serially through said first and second conducting means, means for detecting the combined effect of the two transformed signals upon said beam of light, means for integrating the detected light pattern, and means interposed between said first and second conducting means for compressing the light pattern emergent from said first conduct-ing means before it is applied to said second conducting means.
6. A system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the two trans-forming and conducting means comprise a pair of bi-refractive, transparent, sonic delay lines, each having an electrical-sonic transducer at one end, and a sonic energy absorber at the opposite end, said detecting means comprises crossed light polarizers sandwiching each delay line, and said integrating means comprises a photoconductive plate.
7. A system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said transducers are located at corresponding ends of the respective delay lines to cause the transformed signals to travel along the respective delay lines in corresponding directions.
8. A system as set forth in claim 7, wherein said image compressing means includes a prism.
9. A system as set forth in claim 7, wherein said image compressing means includes a lens.
10. A an optical correlator, comprising means for transforming a first input signal into a form capable of affecting a beam of light in accordance with the waveform of the signal, means for transforming a second input signal into a form capable of affecting a beam of light in accordance with the waveform of the signal, first and second means for respectively conducting said two transformed signals past each other, means for directing a beam of light serially through said first and second conductive means, means for detecting the combined effect of the two transformed signals upon said beam of light, means for integrating the detected light pattern, and means interposed between said first and second conducting means for compressing the light image emergent from said first conducting means before it is applied to said second conducting means.
11. An optical correlator as set forth in claim 10, wherein said input signals are electrical signals, the two transforming and conducting means comprise a pair of hirefractive, transparent, sonic delay lines, each having an electrical-sonic transducer at one end, and a sonic energy absorber at the opposite end, said detecting means comprises crossed light polarizers sandwiching each delay line, and said integrating means comprises a photoconductive plate.
12. An optical correlator as set forth in claim 10, wherein said two transforming means are located at corresponding ends of their respective conducting means for causing the two transformed signals to travel along the respective conducting means in corresponding directions.
13. An optical correlator as set forth in claim 10, wherein said image compressing means includes a prism.
14. An optical correlator as set forth in claim 10, wherein said image compressing means includes a lens.
No references cited.
|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Sep 25, 1962
|Nov 23, 1965
|Scope Inc
|Detector for varying carrier frequency signals
|May 4, 1962
|Sep 20, 1966
|Kollsman Instr Corp
|Optical-analog integrator
|May 4, 1962
|Sep 20, 1966
|Kollsman Instr Corp
|Automatic pattern recognition system
|Jan 9, 1963
|Nov 1, 1966
|Geophysical Res Corp
|Method and apparatus for the optical cross-correlation of two functions
|Sep 11, 1963
|Jun 11, 1968
|Martin Marietta Corp
|Optical correlator using a matched filter system with raster type display
|Mar 17, 1965
|Jan 7, 1969
|Corning Glass Works
|Apparatus and method for optical signal processing
|Aug 5, 1964
|Mar 11, 1969
|Stressed laser scanning device using light polarizers
|Dec 13, 1963
|Mar 11, 1969
|Wilmotte Raymond M
|Electro-optical correlator
|Jan 3, 1968
|Oct 21, 1969
|Raytheon Co
|Image orthicon integrator device for an electro-optical correlation system
|Oct 24, 1968
|Jul 7, 1970
|Seismograph Service Corp
|Non-contact speed measurement
|Jul 18, 1966
|Oct 27, 1970
|Perkin Elmer Corp
|Electromechanical variable birefringent light valve
|Oct 21, 1968
|Apr 6, 1971
|Sperry Rand Corp
|Optical pulse expansion system
|May 1, 1969
|Jun 8, 1971
|Bendix Corp
|Display device with uniformly decreasing electric field
|Mar 17, 1969
|Jul 6, 1971
|Philips Corp
|Apparatus for producing a plane polarized beam with a rotating plane of polarization
|Jul 2, 1970
|Nov 23, 1971
|Twentieth Cent Fox Film Corp
|Radiation sensitive automatic focus system
|Feb 8, 1968
|Nov 30, 1971
|President And Directors Of Geo
|Electromagnetic beam communication unit
|Mar 11, 1970
|Jan 30, 1973
|Us Air Force
|Birefringent optical correlator
|Apr 17, 1968
|Mar 19, 1974
|Raytheon Co
|Electrooptical correlator tube using secondary emission modulation
|Sep 9, 1983
|Aug 26, 1986
|General Electric Company
|Adaptive signal processor for interference cancellation
|May 27, 1988
|Feb 27, 1990
|Honeywell Inc.
|Correlation match filter for passive signal detection
|Feb 22, 1985
|Jan 22, 1991
|The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy
|High accuracy digital acousto-optic matrix computer
|U.S. Classification
|342/145, 708/815, 324/76.36, 359/285, 708/816
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification


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Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker
Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker by JAKKS Pacific Young aspiring chefs will love making a mess and creating real, edible cupcakes with the Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker by Jakks. This toy encourages girls to get creative, and has all the accessories necessary to make, bake, and decorate delicious cupcakes. The Girl Gourmet™ Cupcake Maker bakes cupcakes in as little as 30 seconds. The entire set comes with everything your little baker will need to create delicious cupcakes in record time, including the cupcake maker itself, froster, microwaveable cupcake holders to cook the cupcakes in, four cupcake cups, bowl, measuring spoons, spatula, recipe cards, instruction sheet, four cupcake mixes, and four frostings. Important note: You will need a microwave oven in order to enjoy this product. This set boosts kids' confidence and offers them a chance to take pride in their baked creations. Parents will love "testing" the finished products as well! It's no surprise the Cupcake Maker has made many of the "best toys of 2008" lists. However, as fun as the product is, don't expect the results to look anywhere close to those pictured on the box–in fact, far from. We ended up using a regular store-bought frosting mix, because the ones provided had a consistency that simply didn't inspire creativity. Also, be prepared to purchase more cupcake mixes and frosting sets, naturally. For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Girl Gourmet Deluxe Cupcake Maker Deluxe...
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1951 · New York
by Hogarth, William and Kenenth Clark
New York: Buchholz Gallery, Curt Valentin, 1951. Softcover. VG (Cover has small soil mark on back; otherwise quite nice.). Teal stapled paper wraps. [16 pp.]. 24 bw plates. Issued in conjunction with a 1951 exhibition of sculpture by Anglo-Irish sculptor Henry Moore (1898-1986). With essays by William Hogarth and Kenneth Clark, acquired from other published sources. The catalogue cites 34 pieces, and more than 20 are pictured here. A small-in-stature catalogue with exquisite, tiny plates. Uncommon. (Inventory #: 9830)