Duke stepped out of the backseat of his car and onto the Campus, the california sun beating down on the concrete paths.
Part of the reason why Duke had decided to buy University of the Pacific and transform it into Hauser University was because of the Campus beauty.
The campus held traditional Collegiate Gothic architecture.
Its space was filled with ivy-covered brick facades, towers, and rose gardens.
Something unique for the West Coast and even in the future it was frequently made a filming location for East Coast Ivy League style universities.
He walked slowly, watching students hurry between classes with backpacks slung over their shoulders.
In 1976, most universities were still teaching theoretical and management.
Duke wanted something different, a focus on entrepreneurship was necessary.
He wanted this place to be at the edge of technology.
Duke had already even made a move to offer Vinton Cerf, 'Father of the Internet' a big salary to come do his research in Hauser University.
Near the edge of the campus, he spotted a man waiting by a building that had just recently been built.
Arthur, his manager on site, wore a faded button-down shirt and carried a wooden clipboard.
"Finished the retrofitting over the weekend," Arthur said, pulling open a steel door.
"Upgraded the electrical grid for industrial loads. Installed ventilation systems. Got the terminal access secured. The phone company fought us every step of the way on that dedicated data line."
In 1976, a dedicated network connection was a rare luxury.
The digital web was still confined to defense contractors and elite research institutions.
In 1976, the internet existed purely as a experimental military and academic research project known as ARPANET.
Instead of a public web, it consisted of a few dozen connected computers, utilized by government scientists for remote computing and early text-based email.
Duke had paid a small fortune to bring that infrastructure here, but his Republican connections had certainly helped.
After all, a quick call to Bush Sr. who had gotten promoted and now served as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), helped bypassed a lot of bureocracy.
The warehouse stretched out before him, empty with concrete floors.
Rows of wooden workbenches, and different small office size rooms, separated from one another.
Duke walked to the nearest bench, running his fingers along the wood.
He though about whether his dream of getting a High-Speed Rail in America could be done once he got enough power.
The sound of an engine interrupted his thoughts.
A beat-up van backed up to the loading dock, its rear doors swinging open.
Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak emerged from it, surrounded by cardboard boxes and tangled cables.
Jobs hopped down onto the concrete, looking around the space, wearing his usual casual clothes, they were the first people in this building.
Wozniak emerged from the back, carrying a box, packed with microchips and capacitors.
"Main logic board," Wozniak announced, setting it down on the nearest bench.
"Just need to wire up the power supply and connect the video output to a television. We did most of the soldering last night in my bedroom."
In this era, commercial computers were huge metal cabinets that costed more than a house.
A clear example was the Xerox Alto, that Lynda had gifted Duke in 1973, of course she bought it with Duke's money.
32000$ in 1973 was the cost of it.
Duke wondered if he could get Xerox to join his research park.
After all, Xerox was extremely advanced in 1976, in a way that could not be understated.
The Xerox Alto had the first GUI and Mouse in Computer History... in 1973.
To say they were at least a decade ahead of the rest of the industry would be the best way to put it.
Jobs unpacked a small television and a typewriter-style keyboard.
Wozniak twisted copper wires together, delivering current to the board.
Wozniak plugged in the final cable.
The television flickered, hissed with static, then stabilized.
Duke stepped closer, eyes locked on the blinking dash.
Wozniak placed his hands over the modified keyboard and began typing. The corresponding letters appeared on the television screen.
"It reads the keystrokes directly into memory," Wozniak explained, "Most hobbyist kits make you flip switches to input machine code. We bypassed all that."
He typed a few lines of code in BASIC and executed a loop, and the screen flooded with cascading numbers.
Duke leaned over the desk, asking about specs.
Wozniak answered, diving into the specs of the MOS 6502 chip they'd selected for its affordable price point.
"This is just the beginning," Wozniak said, "A computer in every home, thats the dream."
The click of a dress shoe echoed across the warehouse.
Nolan Bushnell strolled in, fresh off a flight from Atari.
He offered a broad smile, shaking Duke's hand before nodding to his former employees.
Jobs crossed his arms, his posture stiffening.
Arthur led the group into a glass-walled conference room.
The soundproof space featured a large table and padded chairs.
Duke took his natural seat at the head.
"I reviewed the legal structure of the university," Nolan began, dropping a folder onto the wood. "Non-profit, tax-free status. Provides a shelter for technology development."
The mid-70s tax code was punishing for corporate R&D.
Using an University as a front, allowed a company to offset costs while retaining commercial rights to patents.
This was a common strategy among defense contractors already.
"Hauser University is the research hub for VHS project," Nolan stated. "We can fund a lab right next door. Gives my engineers a quiet place to work, away from the chaos of Atari."
Developing home video was draining Atari's capital.
Partnering with an university would provide cheap student labor and tax breaks.
Jobs shifted in his chair, his eyes narrowing. He didn't want to share a roof with a corporate research division exploiting academic labor.
"You're turning this place into a corporate lab," Jobs said, his voice tight. "That's not what you promised."
Duke held the young man's gaze, keeping his expression calm.
He had heard about Steve Jobs personality in his past life, but seeing it upfront was very different.
"I'm creating a place where people can build new things," Duke responded, "The corporate research labs are just one part of the ecosystem. Their funding helps keep the lights on for everyone else."
He had also bought this place almost completely for Atari to use.
Plans for Videogame education paths were being assembled as they spoke.
He gestured toward the glass walls, indicating the warehouse beyond. "There's room for everyone here, Steve. Including you."
"A thriving ecosystem requires corporations and agile startups working side by side. You won't lose your independence by... sharing a parking lot."
He feel the sudden urge to call Jobs a retard towards the end, but decided not to.
Jobs slowly uncrossed his arms.
Free rent and access to testing equipment outweighed any ideological misgivings.
Apple needed the space to manufacture their first circuit boards.
The conference room meeting concluded shortly after.
Nolan excused himself to tour the campus with Arthur, leaving Duke alone with the Apple kids.
They walked back to the empty warehouse floor.
Jobs stopped near the center of the room, turning to face Duke. Contrary to what his age showed, Jobs had already meet with plenty of wealthy investors.
They were usually driven by simple greed.
But Duke operated differently, making bets on unproven technologies that confused traditional financiers.
"What do you actually want from... this?" Jobs asked, his voice echoing off the walls.
"I know it's not just the money. You already have plenty of that. What do you actually want?"
Duke paused, looking out over the rows of emptyness of the room.
The question cut to the core of his strategy.
He wasn't just trying to make profitable movies or sell plastic toys.
He was trying to build the greatest entertaiment Conglomerate this world had ever seen.
Not for money, but for stories.
"I want to build a world where stories are valued to the level that I value them," Duke answered, "Storytelling is our obligation to the next generation."
He looked down at the circuit board on the desk. "I want a world where a kid in Ohio can fly an X-wing through a trench."
"A teenager in Tokyo can explore an entire galaxy from his house."
He didn't even mention how Pokemon Go would get the people off to walk the streets. Or how Elden Ring would have politicians tweeting about it.
In 1976, entertainment was a one-way street.
A director made a film, and the audience watched it and that was it.
Videogames could change that, specially for Blockbusters.
"I want to ensure that advancing technology doesn't replace humanity."
"But that it amplifies our ability to dream."
Jobs remained silent for a long moment. He scanned Duke's face, searching for any trace of falsehood, but didn't find any.