Virus-72 Hours to Live Read Online Free PDF

like there was
another agent driving the car. It didn't fool many people, but
impressions in Washington were important.
    Mobile automated units had become pervasive
throughout society; they were very useful in jobs, which were
monotonous, or in hazardous environments. Many homes had a
selection of units performing household chores, gardening, etc. The
more sophisticated units drove the vehicles. The use of automatic
cars was useful but not very functional on all roads. The
technology for the auto cars, to operate, worked best on the main
roads and freeways. The GPS maps had to be accurate and the sensors
on the roads maintained before the mobile units could drive on any
surface.
    In some homes, the mobile units monitored
and even taught the children. This was acceptable at all levels of
society, but their use in government had remained low key. No one
thought hordes of automatic robots working around the government
gave the right impression. Some of the press kidded that if there
were too many mobile units around Congress the voters would think
they could do the job better. Most government officials had them in
their homes for the tasks stated above. They were used in places
out of sight from the public. Driving the official cars was an
exception, over-time they were shown to be more efficient and
safer. Therefore, for the sake of the safety of the leadership the
mobile units drove their cars.
    Some of the mobile units were human like,
walked and performed their tasks like a human. Specific jobs
required mobile units specially designed. Automated units that
mowed the grass didn't need to look like a human; they were built
like a lawnmower. Mobile units which didn't resemble humans were
common everywhere and even around the capital, they were seen in
significant numbers performing the day-to-day jobs. As long as they
didn't look like people then the impression didn't offend
anyone.
    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
    Commander Joan Herl rolled over in her bed
and checked her clock. It was 7:03AM consortium time. It was easier
to keep the space station Oasis on the same time as the Space
Consortium launch facility in Florida than to use UTC or Uniform
Time Clock. After all, it was easier to be on the same clock as
your support staff. She rolled to the side of her bed and
whispered, "View Screen Open." The room gradually filled with
bright light as the screen opened to her view of the Earth. She
rolled onto her back and looked through her window at what appeared
to be the southern Indian Ocean. It was always nice to open your
eyes and enjoy the Earth rotating below you. Instead of the morning
sunrise, the brightness of the sunlight reflecting off the Earth
had the same effect.
    That day was just another day on the space
station Oasis. Get up, check on the night's comm traffic, check out
the manufacturing and chemical process labs, and check-in with
Space Consortium and see what crisis they had for her. She just had
to find a way to live through another boring day in space. Ya
right, she had the best job in the world or in space and she knew
it.
    She heard a moan, looked to her side and saw
her husband Tom roll over and put his hand over his eyes to shield
his eyes from the sunlight. "I wish you'd warn me before you do
that."
    "Sorry, but who can think of a better way to
wake up."
    "I can," he said as he pulled her on top of
him and lifted her T-shirt over her head.
    Commander Herl was the Oasis commander and
her husband Tom was the Senior Staff Engineer as well as the Chief
Pilot. They had been on the space station for a little over 6
months, so they were about half way through the one-year
assignment. It was their second time on the station and it was
their first in command positions. It was their station, and they
intended to enjoy their assignments while they lasted.
    Joan Herl was at a high point in her career
and those people who worked with her and were impressed by her
looks soon realized her skills and knowledge were far