CHAPTER THREE – ONE YEAR EARLIER - ISHMAEL
After Fleckenstein had made up his mind to show his colleagues that he was not mad but in fact brilliant, he repaired almost full time to his laboratory and supercomputer. The first thing he downloaded were the drawings with their enlarged dimensions for the 206 bones of the human body. Next he assembled a number of machine shops from across the country each to manufacture a specific group of the bones from titanium.
Now began the testing of various materials for the musculature. A combination of a bioengineered form of fiberglass and Kevlar seemed to hold the most promise. The materials were strong and flexible, with the elasticity needed for stretch. Through further testing he developed a permeable plastic tubing that could be used for the veins and arteries which would pass through the muscles and allow the fluids making up the “blood” supply to nourish them.
This same material was perfect for the organs, stomach, liver, kidneys, etc. The heart was special, acting as it did as a muscle and an organ. It also contained internal mechanical movements much like old-fashioned clockworks, but fashioned from the most up to date materials, which allowed it to pulse and send the fluids throughout the being’s system. Unlike a real human the automaton’s esophagus was connected directly to the heart allowing the semen to flow directly from the mouth to the heart and thence to the circulatory system.
But the biggest challenge was the cranium that would house the most sophisticated computer system yet known. The “brain” had to be miniaturized to fit within the small space and perform all the functions of the human brain. Then came the skin fashioned from a polymer especially created by Fleckenstein. Mouth, tongue, teeth, eyes, nose and hair all produced in his lab and fitted into place over the musculature on the skull.
Looking down at his creation the only flaw was the gaping hole at the automaton’s crotch. Above the hole there was, in fact, a field of curly blonde pubic hair and then . . . nothing. Somehow he had to connect the circulatory system to an external tube for expulsion of the clear semen that would be free of the used sperm cells. Although he’d formed two beautiful buttocks for the creature there were no intestines or anus since there would be no solid waste to extrude. So from behind the being appeared to be an outsized but beautiful example of male perfection, but from the front there was definitely something left to be desired. As a perfectionist Fleckenstein had to finish his task. Using the same technique and materials he had perfected for the other parts of the body he proceeded to fashion the penis and testicles, significantly enlarged of course, in proportion with the rest of the body. The soft 8 inch penis with the exposed glans hung down, resting on the soft hairless scrotum with two 3 inch oblong artificial testes. All were connected to the internal circulatory system.
Now to animate his creation. Accessing the being’s brain through the top of the skull he attached cables which in-turn were attached to the supercomputer and the programming began. Even at the accelerated speed of the computer it took 43 ½ hours for all of the selected programs to be downloaded. In addition to inputting all the normal human functions, including thought patterns, speech, and movement, he was fed history, geography, philosophy, and all the great literature of the western world. Finally all the languages Fleckenstein thought would be of use were added including English, French, Spanish, German, Russian, Japanese, Hindi and Mandarin. And just for good measure he threw in ancient Greek and Latin.
Fleckenstein stood over the shackled body on the gurney and rubbed his gloved hands in satisfaction. The blonde giant was perfect in every respect. The 6 foot 8 inch tall specimen was almost ready. He walked around to where the head rested on a cylindrical cushion, parted the long blonde hair and pressed a slight indentation in the scalp triggering a 4 x 6 inch hinged door in the skull to spring open. There was no brain, at least no human brain, only a series of wires, semiconductors, diodes, and tiny transistors filling the space in the skull where a brain should be.
He reached over to the IV unit on the trolley next to him and wheeled it closer, and with the other hand unwound the plastic tubing that was about a half inch in diameter that was attached to the gallon beaker hanging from the unit. The beaker contained a white viscous fluid. He parted the lips and teeth of the thing and placed the plastic tube down the throat. He picked up a remote control pressed a button and two lights in the “brain” lit up and started flashing alternately. Fleckenstein snapped the door shut smoothed the hair back and to all outward appearances the body was human. However, the eyes were closed, there was no breathing and there were no other outward appearances of life. He opened the tap on the IV and the liquid in the beaker descended into the mouth of the being. When it was empty he turned off the spigot and replaced it with a second gallon beaker filled with the same white viscous fluid. The spigot was opened again and the second beaker drained.
The week before had been the busiest and most dangerous part of Fleckenstein’s project. His creature was almost finished but in order to bring it to life he needed the fluid of life. He had to have enough sperm and semen
coursing through its veins to animate the thing. Based on its size he figured he’d need about 16 pints, and the only place that might have this much would be the sperm banks around the city. No one bank would be sufficient. So he carefully planned the most unusual burglary in history. Over a period of three nights he and the dwarf raided six sperm banks and cleaned them all out. The police were baffled since only the sperm was stolen and no money or other valuables were missing. He now had what he needed.
When the programming was completed he was ready to try the first experiment. Pressing the “on” button on the remote he saw the giant open its blue eyes. “Let’s see, what shall we call you?” he said. With that the automaton made his first response, “ ‘Call me Ishmael’ . . . Melville.” Fleckenstein roared with laughter. “OK Ishmael it is.”
He carefully undid the leather straps binding the recumbent automaton to the gurney and said, “Stand.” Ishmael carefully sat up, lowered his legs to the floor and stood for the first time. He was a beautiful specimen in all his naked beauty.
“We definitely have to get you some clothes my good man.” ‘Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society’ . . . Mark Twain” said Ishmael.
“OK, let’s take a short stroll around the laboratory. Walk, Ishmael.” And with that the beautiful giant commenced to walk, if a bit stiffly, around the lab. “Lift the cages Ishmael.” commanded Fleckenstein pointing at the stacked monkey cages. He knew these weighed close to a thousand pounds. Ishmael wrapped his huge arms around the fused cages and easily lifted them off the floor. “ OK, replace them and go back to the gurney and lie down.” The giant carefully laid the cages down where they had been and returned to the gurney and laid down. Fleckenstein called out to Ivan who had been cowering in the corner to come an assist him in reattaching the straps.
“All in all a successful first run. I want to measure how much of the fluid has been used in this little exercise.” “No need, I can tell you exactly, 123 ½ ml.” said Ishmael. “ ‘Remember a hungry stomach can not hear’ . . . La Fontaine.”
Another laugh from Fleckenstein as he pressed the off button, “We’re going to need more substantial restraints, something in metal. These flimsy leather straps will be fine for humans but won’t secure him to the gurney. Get me some measurements Ivan.” He was going to have to feed the giant again soon.
A year had now past since the New York lecture before his colleagues had ended in ignominy. It was time to set his plan in action and prove to the world that he was not insane but a genius. After his daring burglaries he had enough of the initial supply of the animating fluid that would bring his creature to life and he had a daring plan as to how he would obtain an endless future supply.
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