"Leonard Speaking"
'Leonard Thinking'
NASA Headquarters, Washington DC, One Year Later
Howard Wolowitz walked with a team of engineers into the conference room. He looked at his side, marvelling at the experts who were tasked to design their new Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission. To achieve this goal, NASA had invited top experts from multiple fields.
Howard drummed his fingers on the table, impatiently waiting for the project leaders to come. An engineer looked pointedly at him, causing his movements to falter and stop. Howard was quite nervous, since this would be his biggest project yet. He still remembered that fundraising party and that comment.
'Got it, you are a space plumber.'
Howard took deep breaths, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart. His eyes sharpened with determination as he waited. Suddenly, the door swung open and three scientists, around the average age of sixty came into the room. They looked at the engineers around the table before beginning.
One of the scientists, with dark skin, partly grey hair and gold-rimmed spectacles, introduced himself, "Good morning everyone. My name is Dr. Jordan Peele, and I would like to thank all of you for being here. This mission will become a groundbreaking study to understand our magnetosphere. Now, we have already completed the theoretical part of calculations and designing the probes. We need your help in actually getting the thing ready."
The scientist was interrupted by his colleague, a black, bald man, though slightly taller and lankier, "Another reason why this project has to go well, is that we have utilized an outside agency in this project. Normally, we would not do that, but the designs they submitted were revolutionary."
Jordan spoke in an annoyed tone, "Keegan, why must you interrupt me all the time?"
Keegan was flustered at that. He defended, "I was trying to make sure you didn't miss anything."
Jordan bit out, "I would have mentioned it if you hadn't interrupted me."
Soon, the two devolved into an argument, much to the surprise of the gathered engineers. The two kept arguing about everything, from Keegan's problem with names, to Jordan's habit of using only capital letters while texting. The two kept arguing before the third scientist gave a slight cough, interrupting their argument. The two came to their senses. Keegan started to explain, "As I said before, we have outsourced the design. Your specific tasks are in the files. The designer is coming to visit soon, so please, discuss your specific projects with them."
Soon, an assistant, a young woman in her mid twenties, started to distribute files regarding the assigned tasks. The assistant approached Howard and gave him a file. He quickly tore open the seal securing the file, and looked at the parts he had to build. The design was complex, almost alien. Yet, it held a strange sense of beauty. To Howard, this design was a work of art, more advanced than anything else he had ever encountered. A slew of questions arose in his mind, when suddenly, a knock sounded at the door.
Every engineer turned to the door, as a man walked in. The man was tall, with well defined muscles and an imposing gait. His eyes held a penetrating gaze, causing all the engineers to shy away as the eyes roamed on the group. He was wearing a well-fitted black suit over a lighter grey shirt and a deep red tie. As the man walked over, his cane made small clicking sounds on the marble floor.
While everyone was studying the man, Howard's mouth was open in shock. He recognized the man, although he hadn't seen him for over a year. Suddenly, their eyes met, and a small smile bloomed over the man's features. The man approached Howard as he softly spoke, "Hey Howard, it's been a while."
Howard smiled, "Indeed. It's great to see you again, Leonard."
Apartment 4B, Pasadena, Two Days Later
Sheldon was arranging furniture for dinner as friends slowly trickled into the room. Penny was the first to come, quickly snatching her order of Chinese food. Amy gave her a wide smile as Raj came in.
Sheldon suddenly said, "Isn't it nice? There was a time we ate here as clockwork. Now, although the clock is not functioning, we still keep the tradition alive. Now, if only Amy would allow me to restart the tradition of Halo night."
Ignoring the pointed glare Sheldon threw, Amy chipped in, "It's true. We don't usually gather here for dinner as often as we did. Studies have shown that the human brain without social activity becomes duller and unresponsive, followed by brain fog and confusion. Not eating with friends can lead to severe cognitive impairment."
Penny interrupted before Amy could go on a tirade, "I know what you mean, but everyone is busy with their lives. Bernadette and Howard are married now, so they cannot spend as much time here as they used to. Besides, Raj comes here."
Sheldon thought for a second and said, "That's true, though technically, Raj only comes here with Howard and Bernadette."
Amy was slightly upset at that, before comforting herself, "Well, at least Penny can visit us anytime. She lives opposite after all."
Penny, just about to put some noodles, looked unsure for a minute. Finally, she confessed, "Actually, I was thinking of leaving. Maybe there is no opportunity for me in Hollywood."
Sheldon chuckled and looked at Amy, "See, I told you she would come to her senses."
Penny was outraged. She yelled, "Hey!"
Sheldon waved his hand, "Oh, don't worry. None of us thought you could make it."
Penny grew quieter, "Leonard did."
The mood grew somber as everyone thought about it. Leonard was a rock for everyone here. He kept the group together, meditating between different sections. Ever since he left Pasadena, the house never felt the same.
Sheldon looked at Raj sitting on the couch, "I blame you for it. Why couldn't you keep your sister away from him."
Raj yelled incredulously, "Me! You were the one who threatened the two. Then he took that sabbatical and finally left the city. You hold the most blame."
Amy tried to quell the argument, "Ok everyone, just calm down. I must confess that the idea to threaten Leonard at the time came from me. But Leonard did not leave this place just because of something we did. He left for better opportunities."
Sheldon thought about it for a second before acquiescing, "I can agree to that."
As the atmosphere became awkward, Howard and Bernadette came to the apartment. They greeted everyone and took their place on a couch at the side. Howard started, "I have an announcement to make. I have been invited to help in the construction of four satellites as part of NASA's magnetosphere research."
Raj congratulated, "That's great man, I would have loved to work with you."
Howard smiled, basking in the praise before continuing, "It is great, but that also means I will be in Washington DC for a month or two. So, for the next few months, only Bernadette will be here."
Amy and Penny deflated as they recalled the previous conversation. It felt as though their group was slowly drifting away. Bernadette quickly read the room and asked, "Is there a problem?"
Penny replied, "Not really. We were just discussing how our group had stopped eating here much, ever since Leonard left."
Howard perked up before mentioning, "Speaking of Leonard, I just saw him when I was in DC. He is doing well for himself."
Everyone perked up at that. No one could contact Leonard since he left, so they were curious as to what he was doing.
Sheldon interrupted, "So, is he struggling there? Has he found a university?"
Raj pointed out, "Even if he hadn't found a university, Leonard can still hold out. He was a multimillionaire when he left."
Sheldon argued, "But he has no experience on managing such finances. He could very well be stuck in a gambling ring, or take to drugs."
Howard placated them, "Don't worry, Leonard is doing well at DC. He was the one who designed the entire satellite components. He even told me that an interview he gave will be broadcast today."
Sheldon was dumbfounded. He asked, "Which channel?"
Howard answered, "The BBC."
Sheldon quickly took out his phone and texted the news to Beverly. He clearly remembered how she told him to keep an eye out for Leonard. Then, he quickly took the remote and changed to BBC. However, instead of the interview, it was showing the weather forecast.
Sheldon turned to Howard with an annoyed look. Howard replied with irritation, " It will be broadcast at 8. We still have about half an hour."
The table grew hurried as the people quickly chowed down Chinese food, hoping to catch the interview without interruption. As Sheldon finished eating, he quickly got up, "Ok people, I have dibs on the toilet." And he ran towards the toilet.
The others calmly waited on the couch as BBC started broadcasting the interview.
Hofstadter Residence, New Jersey
Beverly Hofstadter sat at the dining table, calmly eating her food. She looked older than usual, a result of the fallout that followed Leonard's defamation suit. She looked around, at the empty chairs by her side. These empty chairs gave the room a strange sense of decadence. The room was clean, courtesy of the maid, but the house looked abandoned.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the front door. Beverly looked at the door, not wanting to open it at all. But she persevered and walked to the door languidly.
Beverly opened the door and found her daughter and husband standing in the doorway. She welcomed them inside as the two took in the state of the home.
Alfred looked around the house and remarked, "So, when are you going to come out of this funk of yours."
Beverly replied, "Alfred, I am not in a funk. As an intellectual, I am just experiencing a short period of inactivity. As soon as I clear this plateau, I will become stronger."
Alfred pulled Beverly towards the sofa, with her daughter sitting at her side. He said, "It has been a year since the case. You need to let go."
Beverly took a deep breath before answering, "It took me years to build my reputation. Now, I am a disgraced scientist in her fifties. I no longer have the time to build my reputation again. At this stage, I asked myself, 'what was the point of it all?' and I don't know the answer."
Alfred sighed, "So, do you hate Leonard for it?"
Beverly shook her head, "Not really. He took out fundamental inconsistencies in my research, pulled out bias in my thoughts that I overlooked. It was the right thing to do. I just hate that my children were never truly close to me. Michael doesn't even come around much. He was the son I took pride in."
Suddenly, her phone rang with a notification. Beverly looked at her phone, her eyes roaming over the message she received. She placed her phone down and stood up from the couch. Under Alfred's questioning gaze, she walked to the TV and switched it on. Quickly changing the channel to BBC, she sat back down on the couch.
BBC Studio, London
The studio lights flashed as the set shined. A blond woman in a navy blue suit looked at the camera, her eyes confident as she took up her place opposite some people. This was a live interview, even though she thought preparing the guests beforehand would be better. Looking at the two young people opposite her, she felt a sense of disconnect. They carried a confident, knowledgeable air, without the slightly reserved and shy demeanour of many scientists she had interviewed before.
The woman instructed, "Once the lights come on, make sure you don't directly look at the camera. It looks performative. Be on your toes, any question can be asked."
Suddenly, an assistant informed the woman, "We are on air in a minute."
The woman turned back to the scientists and said, "If you need water, use the bottles at the side of the table, don't speak while drinking. Now, let's start."
As the lights dimmed, the assistant yelled, "In 5."
Soon, the lights shone as the woman faced the camera, "Good evening viewers, I am Rebecca Morelle, and today, we have with us Dr. Leonard Hofstadter and Dr. Paige Swanson. It has been a few years since the Large Hadron Collider at CERN was able to prove the existence of Higgs Boson. Now, we have a pair who have taken the Large Hadron Collider and shrunk it to the size of a room."
As the camera panned towards the scientists, the two gently bowed to the camera in greeting the viewers. Leonard and Paige were dressed in a deep, almost blackish, blue color. Paige's refined appearance and Leonard's presence was seen by the entire world at the moment.
Apartment 4A, Pasadena
The group watched with wide eyes as Leonard and Paige appeared on the screen. While Paige was always beautiful, Leonard's refined, almost dominating demeanor truly surprised them. Leonard was taller, with a sharp face and muscular physique. In his dark suit, he cut a striking figure.
Penny was shocked. When she dated Leonard, he was a short, sweet man. She unconsciously blushed.
Sheldon pointed out, "It seems Penny has had a hormonal rush."
Penny threw a cushion at Sheldon in anger.
Studio
Rebecca looked at her guests and asked, "So, a miniature Hadron collider. How did you think to develop it?"
Leonard looked evenly, "It was the only natural course."
Rebecca asked, "Natural course?"
Leonard smiled, "When the principles of a machine are finalized, the next course is to design for convenience. If you recall, the first computer, a simple adding machine, occupied an entire room. Now, the same computer can fit in the size of a notebook. If we can make miniature computers, what stops us from making a miniature hadron collider, or a miniature nuclear reactor. Once we master technology, convenience often follows."
Rebecca looked interested, "So, what else do you think can change, now that we have a small hadron collider."
Paige smiled, "Now, particle physics will become accessible to small institutions and the general public. We can see people, talented people, finally get the resources to research what they want."
Rebecca smiled, "That is a very optimistic view. Dr. Swanson, if I am correct, you worked with the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. What was the reaction there?"
Paige smiled, "I really wouldn't know, I left CERN when I started to work with Leonard. But I am sure they would be thrilled. The people at CERN are passionate people."
Rebecca asked, "So, how does your collider work?"
Leonard answered, "We use protons and plasma, unlike the vacuum based collider. It is like how a boat travels in water, by disturbing the plasma with protons, we can create a similar push that allows us to accelerate at short distances"
Apartment 4B
Sheldon listened to the explanation, his eyes lighting up. He excitedly stood up and yelled, "That is phenomenal. Maybe we can get this for Caltech. There are so many experiments I want to run."
Before Sheldon could continue, Amy pulled him down, urging him to be quiet.
Studio
Rebecca understood the principle. But she thought about something and asked, "One thing I find odd is, how were you able to conduct your research? As Dr. Swanson said she has left CERN. And I don't recall you being affiliated to any famous university."
Leonard smiled, "I used to work for Caltech. Last year, I had to leave due to some unpleasantness. I have started my own research organisation, funded by my patents and industries. While I don't sell consumer products, industry insiders know of it."
Rebecca was surprised, "That is surprising. Most scientists I know don't start their own organisations. What was your motivation?"
Leonard thought for a second, his fist unconsciously clenching, drawing a concerned look from Paige. He slowly relaxed and explained, "From a young age, I was the family disappointment. My mother even wrote a book about it. As a result, I always empathised with the underdogs."
Leonard suddenly chuckled, "In fact, there was a time I thought of becoming a rapper."
Hofstadter Residence
Rachel and Alfred sighed, looking at Beverly with concern. Beverly on the other hand looked at Leonard, trying to find any trace of the boy she had seen since childhood. Watching the confident man, she felt that Leonard had finally grown up, leaving all his faults and insecurities behind.
Unconsciously, a slow smile spread on her face.
Studio
Rebecca smiled as Leonard went on, "During a particularly nasty breakup, I met Paige in Vegas. She was there for a conference on Quantum Entanglement. We talked a lot after that. She told me how science is held back by industry and profit."
Leonard looked straight in Rebecca's eyes, "That night, I couldn't sleep."
Paige reached out and squeezed his hand, radiating her silent support.
Apartment 4B
The group grew somber at the narration. Every member could feel the controlled anguish, with the scientists in the room identifying the most with it. They had faced all these things, from cut fundings, pressure for results, lack of understanding from others. Amy and Bernadette were lucky in this regard. They had found backers who funded their private lab and equipment.
Penny could easily read the room. She quickly ran to her apartment, bringing out a bottle of tequila and another of peppermint schnapps.
Studio
Leonard continued, despite the slightly somber atmosphere, "I decided that science should not be like a shackled lion. That is how Chaldea was born. Now, Chaldea is a massive organisation, though it might not be as famous as some others. We have scientists all over the world, who submit proposals, collaborate with each other, all for the betterment of society and science."
Rebecca looked at the two with shining eyes, "Dr. Hofstadter, is Dr. Swanson a part of this organisation as well?"
Leonard gave a bright smile, "She was the inspiration. Without my Athena, I would have lost my way."
Paige smiled at Leonard's mention. She still remembered the day he asked her to be the Athena to his Prometheus.
Rebecca smiled, "So, what happens if any scientist in your organisation faces a problem?"
Leonard smiled, "This depends on the problem itself. If it is money, we can easily solve it though Chaldea Enterprises. Legal matters are dealt with by our legal department, with some of the greatest lawyers in every field of law. For personal safety, we have a security company that follows our scientists on their expeditions. I take pride in the fact that Chaldea looks after its people."
Rebecca smiled. She was genuinely astonished by what the scientist duo in front of her had achieved. She decided to ask a final question.
Rebecca asked, "So, what about the future? Where do you think your organisation will go?"
Leonard smiled, "Where we will go is still unsure. But I know, wherever we will go, the world will follow."
Apartment 4B
Everyone was astonished. Leonard, in a few short years, had achieved what most people don't achieve in a lifetime. The biggest difference they felt from Leonard was not the physical change. They felt his conviction.
Raj commented, "Well, that's a declaration for sure."
Everyone started to discuss it. Except Sheldon, who was rooted on his spot. For years, Sheldon had felt superior to everyone he had met. Well, except Paige. But while he considered Leonard slightly better than others, he always felt that he would be the guiding star in the scientific world.
Yet here he was, eating Chinese takeout, stuck in comic books, movies and games. He was one of the most valued scientists at the university, yet, now he felt like a relic, with the world quickly leaving him behind. Sheldon's eyes sharpened as he said, with conviction of his own, "I, Sheldon Lee Cooper, will not be surpassed by anyone else."
Hofstadter Residence
Beverly watched the screen in silence. Alfred and Rachel tore their eyes away from the TV and looked at her.
Alfred asked, "Beverly, are you okay?"
Beverly looked at the screen again. For the first time in her life, she found herself unable to reduce her son to a case study.
Today, Leonard was not a disappointing child, nor a dependent adult. He was Leonard Hofstadter, a scientist with caliber and conviction. And for the first time— she felt proud to be his mother.
And across the world, millions watched in silence—unaware that they had just witnessed the beginning of a legend.
AN: That's a wrap on the chapter. Between work and a nasty writer's block, I really struggled with writing this. Luckily, the block is clear and the schedule is on track once again. Stay tuned for more.
AN2: I sincerely thank all my patrons who stuck by me, even when I wasn't able to upload new content for two whole weeks.
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