A Change of Direction
Chas was sitting at his desk reviewing the Hacienda’s financial reports when Link spoke.
“CHAS, WE HAVE RECEIVED ANOTHER REQUEST FOR TRANSFORMER RECONSTRUCTION.”
Chas sighed.
“How many does that make?”
“SEVENTEEN REQUESTS IN THE LAST THIRTY DAYS.”
“And how many have we accepted?”
“NONE.”
“Good.”
There was a pause.
“SHOULD I CONTINUE DECLINING THEM?”
Chas leaned back in his chair.
“Link, we spent seven months getting those last eight substations back online. We bought cranes, trucks, trailers, winding equipment, and built another manufacturing facility. Somewhere along the way, we became an electrical utility repair company.”
“THAT WAS NOT OUR ORIGINAL INTENTION.”
“No, it wasn’t. And I don’t want it to become our future.”
The Oracle displayed a message on Chas’s tablet.
THE HACIENDA NOW POSSESSES SUBSTANTIAL INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING CAPABILITIES.
“I know, Oracle. That’s part of the problem. We’ve got all this equipment and a bunch of robots capable of doing precision work. I don’t want to spend the next ten years rebuilding transformers.”
“WHAT WOULD YOU PREFER?” Link asked.
Chas thought for a moment.
“Something interesting. Something we can take our time making. Something that doesn’t have to be finished yesterday because ten thousand people are waiting for their electricity.”
“YOU ARE SUGGESTING A CHANGE IN OUR MANUFACTURING OBJECTIVES.”
“Exactly.”
The Oracle displayed another message.
THE HACIENDA COULD PRODUCE A WIDE VARIETY OF COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS.
“I’m not interested in mass production, Oracle. I don’t want to compete with factories in China.”
“THEN WHAT DO YOU PROPOSE?” Link asked.
“Quality. Precision. Things nobody else makes, or things so difficult to make that very few people even try.”
“CAN YOU PROVIDE AN EXAMPLE?”
Chas smiled.
“How about a grandfather clock?”
“THOSE ARE COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE.”
“Not the kind I’m thinking about. I want a mechanical clock that keeps accurate time, has jeweled bearings, a perpetual calendar, and a movement beautiful enough to display behind glass.”
“SUCH A MOVEMENT WOULD BE EXPENSIVE TO PRODUCE.”
“Good.”
There was a pause.
“GOOD?” Link repeated.
“Yes. I don’t want cheap. I want something that takes months to build and costs a fortune.”
The Oracle responded.
THE MARKET FOR SUCH PRODUCTS WOULD BE LIMITED.
“Exactly. We only need a few customers.”
Link considered that.
“WE COULD DESIGN A MECHANICAL MOVEMENT WITH EXTREMELY LOW FRICTION AND A POWER RESERVE MEASURED IN MONTHS.”
“Now you’re getting the idea.”
“WE COULD ALSO PRODUCE ASTRONOMICAL CLOCKS DISPLAYING PLANETARY POSITIONS.”
Chas smiled.
“An orrery?”
“CORRECT.”
“I like that.”
The Oracle displayed another message.
OTHER POTENTIAL PRODUCTS INCLUDE PRECISION MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, AUTOMATA, CUSTOM FURNITURE, AND COMPLEX MECHANICAL DEVICES.
“Now we’re talking.”
“VICKY HAS ALREADY DEMONSTRATED INTEREST IN CUSTOM CLOTHING AND DECORATIVE DESIGN,” Link added.
“And she’s got good taste. Maybe she could help decide what we make.”
“THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL.”
Chas thought for a moment.
“What about jewelry boxes?”
“WE CAN PRODUCE JEWELRY BOXES.”
“No, Link. I mean extraordinary jewelry boxes. Exotic woods, intricate inlays, hidden compartments, mechanical locks. Something that takes twenty different movements to open.”
“THAT WOULD BE AN INTERESTING MECHANICAL DESIGN CHALLENGE.”
“And every one different.”
“YOU DO NOT WANT STANDARDIZED PRODUCTS?”
“Not unless we’re making a few pieces of a particular design. I want people to know that when they buy something from the Hacienda, they’re getting something special.”
The Oracle responded.
THIS WOULD POSITION THE HACIENDA AS A PRODUCER OF HIGH-VALUE, LOW-VOLUME LUXURY GOODS.
“That’s a fancy way of putting it, but yes.”
Link spoke.
“CHAS, I HAVE A SUGGESTION.”
“Let’s hear it.”
“CHARLES BABBAGE DESIGNED SEVERAL MECHANICAL COMPUTING ENGINES. WE POSSESS THE CAPABILITY TO CONSTRUCT WORKING EXAMPLES.”
Chas sat forward.
“A difference engine?”
“YES.”
“Could you make one?”
“CERTAINLY. WE COULD ALSO IMPROVE UPON THE ORIGINAL DESIGN.”
“How?”
“BY EMPLOYING MODERN MATERIALS, PRECISION BEARINGS, AND IMPROVED MANUFACTURING TECHNIQUES.”
Chas laughed.
“Link, I think there are collectors who would pay a fortune for something like that.”
“THERE IS ANOTHER POSSIBILITY.”
“Of course there is.”
“WE COULD DESIGN AN ENTIRELY MECHANICAL BINARY COMPUTER.”
Chas stared at his tablet.
“How complicated?”
“THAT WOULD DEPEND UPON THE INSTRUCTION SET AND WORD LENGTH.”
“Could you make a mechanical Intel 8080?”
There was a pause.
“THEORETICALLY, YES. HOWEVER, THE RESULTING MACHINE WOULD BE LARGE, COMPLEX, AND EXTREMELY SLOW COMPARED WITH ITS ELECTRONIC COUNTERPART.”
Chas grinned.
“Perfect.”
“PERFECT?”
“Link, nobody needs a mechanical 8080. That’s what makes it interesting.”
The Oracle displayed a message.
THE COMMERCIAL MARKET FOR MECHANICAL COMPUTERS IS EXTREMELY SMALL.
“Oracle, you’re missing the point. We’re not trying to sell ten thousand of them. We might only make one.”
“THE DEVELOPMENT COST COULD EXCEED THE SALE PRICE.”
“Then we don’t make another unless somebody wants to pay for it.”
Link considered that.
“YOU ARE PROPOSING THAT WE SELECT PROJECTS BASED UPON THEIR TECHNICAL AND ARTISTIC INTEREST RATHER THAN MAXIMUM PROFITABILITY.”
“Exactly. If we make money, fine. If we don’t, we learn something.”
The Oracle responded.
THE HACIENDA HAS SUFFICIENT FINANCIAL RESERVES TO SUPPORT SUCH ACTIVITIES.
“Then let’s enjoy ourselves.”
“THERE REMAINS THE QUESTION OF OUR ELECTRICAL REPAIR OPERATIONS,” Link said.
Chas nodded.
“Finish everything we’ve already committed to. Keep enough equipment and supplies for our own needs. But I don’t want any more large grid restoration projects.”
“SHOULD WE SELL THE TRANSFORMER RECONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT?”
“Not yet. Put it in storage. We might need it someday.”
“AND FUTURE REQUESTS?”
“Charge enough that most people will find somebody else.”
The Oracle displayed a message.
A PREMIUM PRICING STRUCTURE WOULD REDUCE DEMAND WHILE ALLOWING THE HACIENDA TO ACCEPT EXCEPTIONAL PROJECTS.
“That’s what I want. We’re not closing the door completely. But I don’t want to be the first place every utility calls when something breaks.”
“UNDERSTOOD,” Link replied.
Chas leaned back.
“You know, Link, there’s something else.”
“YES?”
“We’ve spent an awful lot of time fixing things that were broken. I’d like to spend some time making things that are beautiful.”
For several seconds, Link said nothing.
Then he spoke.
“CHAS, I BELIEVE I WOULD ENJOY THAT.”
Chas smiled.
“Good. Then we’ve got a new direction.”
The Oracle displayed one final message.
PROPOSED HACIENDA OBJECTIVE:
DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE EXCEPTIONAL OBJECTS OF ARTISTIC, MECHANICAL, AND TECHNICAL MERIT.
Chas read the words.
“I like it.”
“SHALL I BEGIN DEVELOPING A LIST OF POTENTIAL PROJECTS?” Link asked.
“Go ahead. And Link?”
“YES, CHAS?”
“Nothing that requires us to buy another crane.”
There was a brief pause.
“I CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT.”
Chas closed his eyes.
“Of course you can’t.”
About the Creator
Mark Stigers
One year after my birth sputnik was launched, making me a space child. I did a hitch in the Navy as a electronics tech. I worked for Hughes Aircraft Company for quite a while. I currently live in the Saguaro forest in Tucson Arizona
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