The Quest

About the Book

Although the story requires an overview of an alien influence over mankind, the story focuses on selected Indian Shaman's struggle to cope with bizarre powers, antagonistic government agencies and the search for the reason they have been given such awesome powers.

Of all the life forms the Aliens had encountered since abandoning their homes planet, man was the most complex. During the years of exploring the universe, they found Earth in the Milky Way. The Aliens made a startling discovery, mankind had unusual genetic codes. These codes were implanted with bio-chemical time locks that would eventually allow mankind to develop unknown powers. They believed these powers were far beyond those they possessed.

They experimented with the removal of these locks in order to determine their purpose. It didn't take long before they realized that, psychologically, man was not ready for such powers or the responsibility of controlling them. After years of screening Indians, the Alien selected young Shaman Indians, and slowly developed key to unlock the codes. During the Twentieth Century, the Aliens believed an earthman would achieve his or her own full potential. The selected Shaman, realizing these powers were beyond their understanding, began the search for answers.

In the mid-Nineteenth Century, the U. S. Government became aware if powers allegedly possessed by some Lakota Shamans.

Thus began the Quest by the Indians, government Agencies and the Aliens. Each for their own reasons. These quests took proponents from a secret cave in North America to one in Central America and on to the mountains of Peru. In a valley, hidden foe centuries from prying eyes, they each unraveled the purpose of their quests. Some succeeded, some failed. Those that succeeded were, well, lets leave that to the reader's imagination. Those that failed, on the other hand, would never forget the lessons learned the hard way.

About the Author

Don's interest in aviation, planes & space was evident way back in Elementary School. He graduated from drawing planes to building them every chance he had ― drove his parents and teachers to distraction. His big dream was to fly. When he was drafted during the Korean "Police Action" he had no viable interest in ground warfare, so he joined the Air Force. After a year in school, he began as a B-25 A&E Mechanic/Flight engineer/crew chief and then moved up through B-29s to B-47s and then onto F-94s, and F-89s. He met and fell in love with his wife, Betty.

With a family on the way, they returned home to California where he pursued an EE degree while working for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) as an Aeronautical Research Technician. (This was to become NASA in a few short years).

NACA was wrapping up their research on WWII aircraft from all participating countries using the 40 x 80 Wind Tunnel. Don assisted various scientists and aeronautical engineers in the design, fabrication, and installation of instruments to monitor the diverse aspects of flight characteristics vs. design. During this time, and on his own time, Don invented an underwater scooter and various pneumatic spear guns.

He left NACA and joined Lockheed's Missile & Space Division in their effort to help the Unite States conquer space.

In the beginning he installed wire harnesses in Satellites and Spacecraft. When his boss discovered his patent applications and instrumentation experience from NACA, he assigned Don to the fledgling Space Systems Instrumentation Laboratory. One must consider that in the beginning of America's Space Program, there were neither off-the-shelf spacecraft or satellite instruments nor telemetry equipment suitable for the space environment. Don & his team designed, constructed, tested, manufactured, and wrote supporting manuals for these vital components as they were proven to operate in the realm of space.

During the early space shots, these components were extremely primitive. Ten years later they were considered state-of-the-art. During those ten years, Don developed and patented around 16 patents for electro-mechanical instrumentation devices. Some of these devices are still in Earth orbit, while others went to Mars, Venus and beyond.

During his career, Don said that the ten years he spent in the Space Programs were the most satisfying and challenging years he had ever worked. When Vietnam's financial drain began impacting the Space Program, Don left Lockheed's Space Division and transferred to its Missile Division where he developed hands-on training and television training programs along with supporting documentation for U.S. Navy submarine crews.

Then the Lockheed Corporation, Geneva, Switzerland taped Don to work as an Advisor with thirty three other Advisors to the Arabian and Iranian Air Forces. Three years later they requested Don & four other Advisors to continue in assisting in the development of their Air Forces.

During the next sixteen years, Don & Betty enjoyed three assignments in the Middle East. Two were in Saudi Arabia and one in Iran. During these assignments they developed a deep respect for the people, their customs and traditions and the land that molded them. His language skills in Arabic and Farsi earned a measure of respect from his peers.

While in Arabia, Don & Betty wrote the best seller, Desert Drifters. This was a book on travel and survival in the desert which was approved by the Ministry of Information and the King Fahad University. Well-worn copies are still being traded in bookstores and in the Kingdom's Suks.

It has been said that true friends are more precious than gold... Friends from the Al Jaid, Derakshan and Vasiri families to the unknown Bedouins of the desert have given Don and Betty a treasure house of memories. When they retired to the high desert of New Mexico, these memories have served to keep them warm during the desert's cool evenings.

Don has enjoyed many hobbies throughout his life. When he gets bored with one, he just returns to one of current interest. For example, here are his current interests:

Flying, Motorcycling and RVing
Film & Video production
Computer programming, games, and graphics
Carpentry and landscaping designs
Jewelry designs and creation
Exploring, and research (all subjects)
Model builder, leather craft
Inventing, designing, manufacturing
Gunsmith, building black powder guns & era knives
Target shooting, archery
Writing adventure novels ― fiction and non fiction
Artist: cartoons, pen & inks, portraits & landscapes
Hiking, camping
Scuba diving/exploring