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'''Quentin Daniels''', in [[Ayn Rand]]'s [[novel]] ''[[Atlas Shrugged]]'', was a consulting engineer who attempted to reverse-engineer the [[John Galt#The electrostatic motor|electrostatic motor]] that [[John Galt]] had invented. When John Galt learned of his activities, he recruited him into the [[strike]] of the men of the mind and flew him to [[Galt's Gulch]]. That flight almost caused a fatality and was the reason for the unplanned visit to the Gulch by [[Dagny Taggart]].

'''Quentin Daniels''' (fl. 2018), in [[Ayn Rand]]'s [[novel]] ''[[Atlas Shrugged]]'', was a consulting engineer who attempted to reverse-engineer the [[John Galt#The electrostatic motor|electrostatic motor]] that [[John Galt]] had invented. When John Galt learned of his activities, he recruited him into the [[strike]] of the men of the mind and flew him to [[Galt's Gulch]]. That flight almost caused a fatality and was the reason for the unplanned visit to the Gulch by [[Dagny Taggart]].

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== Dagny Taggart ==

== Dagny Taggart ==

[[Dagny Taggart]] of the [[Taggart Transcontinental Railroad]] contacted him at the recommendation of his old mentor, [[Robert Stadler]]. She described to him the ruined prototype of an electrostatic motor, the first practical example of such a device ever built, and the incomplete notes that she had found with it. Daniels was very enthusiastic about working on such a project and asked to see the prototype immediately.

[[Dagny Taggart]] of the [[Taggart Transcontinental Railroad]] contacted him in May of 2018 at the recommendation of his old mentor, [[Robert Stadler]]. She described to him the ruined prototype of an electrostatic motor, the first practical example of such a device ever built, and the incomplete notes that she had found with it. Daniels was very enthusiastic about working on such a project and asked to see the prototype immediately.

When Daniels examined the prototype, he agreed with Miss Taggart that someone had stripped it of certain key parts. He recognized the collecting coil, as Dagny had, but recognized that, as it was, the motor would not run. Dagny paid him handsomely to attempt to reconstruct the missing parts and reassemble the motor.

When Daniels examined the prototype, he agreed with Miss Taggart that someone had stripped it of certain key parts. He recognized the collecting coil, as Dagny had, but recognized that, as it was, the motor would not run. Dagny paid him handsomely to attempt to reconstruct the missing parts and reassemble the motor.

== Directive 10-289 ==

== Directive 10-289 ==

On May 1, 1957 (assuming, as is likely, that the [[Atlas Shrugged#Time setting|strike began in 1945]]), the Bureau of Economic Planning and Natural Resources promulgated [[Directive 10-289]]. Daniels realized at once that, under its terms, he and Dagny would be subject to immediate arrest once he solved the problem of the motor. Furthermore, the government would expropriate it. For the next three weeks he agonized over the dilemma. Should he forget about the problem completely, though he always felt that he was close to a solution? Or should he continue the project anyway?

On May 1, 2019, the Bureau of Economic Planning and Natural Resources promulgated [[Directive 10-289]]. Daniels realized at once that, under its terms, he and Dagny would be subject to immediate arrest once he solved the problem of the motor. Furthermore, the government would expropriate it. For the next three weeks he agonized over the dilemma. Should he forget about the problem completely, though he always felt that he was close to a solution? Or should he continue the project anyway?

In the end, he decided that he would not, could not work under a system that would treat him as a slave. So he found an old typewriter and banged out a one-page letter to Dagny Taggart, announcing his intention to quit. He sent it by air mail and special delivery.

In the end, he decided that he would not, could not work under a system that would treat him as a slave. So he found an old typewriter and banged out a one-page letter to Dagny Taggart, announcing his intention to quit. On May 22, he sent it by air mail and special delivery.

One week later (May 28), he was out gathering [[carrot]]s from his [[vegetable]] garden on what had been the parking lot of the Utah Institute of Technology, when the building's one working telephone started to ring, and ring, and ring. Hastily he rushed in and grabbed the phone. The operator announced a person-to-person call from Dagny Taggart. (In that era, operators completed all long-distance calls.) Naturally he accepted.

One week later (May 28), he was out gathering [[carrot]]s from his [[vegetable]] garden on what had been the parking lot of the Utah Institute of Technology, when the building's one working telephone started to ring, and ring, and ring. Hastily he rushed in and grabbed the phone. The operator announced a person-to-person call from Dagny Taggart. (In that era, operators completed all long-distance calls.) Naturally he accepted.

== John Galt ==

== John Galt ==

On May 31, a young but no-nonsense man came to see him in his laboratory. At first Daniels ignored him, until the man abruptly erased his blackboard and wrote one single mathematical equation on it. Daniels realized, with a shock, that that equation was the key to making electrostatic motors practical. Daniels demanded to know how his visitor knew this. The visitor's reply: {{cquote|I'm the man who made it in the first place.}}

On May 30, a young but no-nonsense man came to see him in his laboratory. At first Daniels ignored him, until the man abruptly erased his blackboard and wrote one single mathematical equation on it. Daniels realized, with a shock, that that equation was the key to making electrostatic motors practical. Daniels demanded to know how his visitor knew this. The visitor's reply: {{cquote|I'm the man who made it in the first place.}}

The visitor then introduced himself as [[John Galt]] and proved conclusively to Daniels that he was in fact the original inventor of the motor. Several minutes of discussions of theoretical physics later, Galt asked Daniels directly whether he was willing to follow Galt to a new existence and leave behind everything he knew of the old.

The visitor then introduced himself as [[John Galt]] and proved conclusively to Daniels that he was in fact the original inventor of the motor. Several minutes of discussions of theoretical physics later, Galt asked Daniels directly whether he was willing to follow Galt to a new existence and leave behind everything he knew of the old.

Galt surprised him when, on November 16, he announced that from then on he would give lectures of ninety minutes instead of sixty, every evening, to end on November 21. The next night (November 22), Daniels learned why Galt had sped up the schedule. For three hours Galt delivered a speech to the outer world. This was the explanation he had never asked for, for why the valley existed and why John Galt had come for him in Afton on May 31.

Galt surprised him when, on November 16, he announced that from then on he would give lectures of ninety minutes instead of sixty, every evening, to end on November 21. The next night (November 22), Daniels learned why Galt had sped up the schedule. For three hours Galt delivered a speech to the outer world. This was the explanation he had never asked for, for why the valley existed and why John Galt had come for him in Afton on May 31.

The next day, John Galt left the valley. Daniels asked [[Ragnar Danneskjold]], who now took over as head of the Committee of Safety, for an explanation. Danneskjold offered none, and neither did Francisco d'Anconia. Three months later came word that John Galt had been arrested in [[New York City]].

The next day, John Galt left the valley. Daniels asked [[Ragnar Danneskjöld]], who now took over as head of the Committee of Safety, for an explanation. Danneskjöld offered none, and neither did Francisco d'Anconia. Three months later came word that John Galt had been arrested in [[New York City]].

Daniels was shocked, angry, and ready for action. He went at once to Ragnar Danneskjold, who subjected him to the most rigorous physical-fitness test he had ever endured. The test left him breathless, but at the end of it, Ragnar said, "You qualify," and told him that he was now enrolled in the Galt's Gulch Land Militia. He gave Daniels a written order to "report" to the Dwight Sanders airfield that evening, and a checklist of military gear. Daniels acquired the gear, locked up the house he had built, turned the keys over to [[Midas Mulligan]], and was at the airfield on time. There he boarded a plane, and shortly thereafter was in the air, headed for New York.

Daniels was shocked, angry, and ready for action. He went at once to Ragnar Danneskjöld, who subjected him to the most rigorous physical-fitness test he had ever endured. The test left him breathless, but at the end of it, Ragnar said, "You qualify," and told him that he was now enrolled in the Galt's Gulch Land Militia. He gave Daniels a written order to "report" to the Dwight Sanders airfield that evening, and a checklist of military gear. Daniels acquired the gear, locked up the house he had built, turned the keys over to [[Midas Mulligan]], and was at the airfield on time. There he boarded a plane, and shortly thereafter was in the air, headed for New York.

His first assignment was a "billet" in a garret apartment on Manhattan Island. He learned later that this was the apartment that John Galt had kept in New York. He did not explore the empty room full of ashes; he grimly guessed what that room had once held, and what had happened to it.

His first assignment was a "billet" in a garret apartment on Manhattan Island. He learned later that this was the apartment that John Galt had kept in New York. He did not explore the empty room full of ashes; he grimly guessed what that room had once held, and what had happened to it.

Several weeks later, he got orders to decamp from Manhattan and proceed ''at once'' to Central Park, where a plane was waiting for him. Like any soldier, he did not question. Minutes later, he was in the air again, bound for [[New Hampshire]] and the campus of the [[State Science Institute]] on the Connecticut River. But he did not wait there for long. [[Ellis Wyatt]] then gave a full evacuation order, and soon he was back in the air, headed west-southwest. Only then did he and his fellow [[militia]]men get the joyous briefing: John Galt was alive, well, free, and on his way back to the Gulch with them.

Several weeks later, he got orders to decamp from Manhattan and proceed ''at once'' to Central Park, where a plane was waiting for him. Like any soldier, he did not question. Minutes later, he was in the air again, bound for [[New Hampshire]] and the campus of the [[State Science Institute]] on the Connecticut River. But he did not wait there for long. [[Ellis Wyatt]] then gave a full evacuation order, and soon he was back in the air, headed west-southwest. Only then did he and his fellow [[militia]]men get the joyous briefing: John Galt was alive, well, free, and on his way back to the Gulch with them.

Daniels would remain in John Galt's employ through the winter. Then in the springtime of 1958, when John Galt determined that "the road [was] cleared," Daniels would probably take the post of chief manufacturing engineer in the company that John Galt would form to build electrostatic motors for a variety of transportation and stationary-power applications. Among the very first products would be a line of electrostatic [[locomotive]]s.

Daniels would remain in John Galt's employ after they landed in the Gulch. Later in the spring of 2020, when John Galt determined that "the road [was] cleared," Daniels would probably take the post of chief manufacturing engineer in the company that John Galt would form to build electrostatic motors for a variety of transportation and stationary-power applications. Among the very first products would be a line of electrostatic [[locomotive]]s.

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