* * * * *
Uh-huh, well, here before Thomas Lionel was a veritable wealth of
intelligent observations and data on the complete operation, including
evidence to substantiate the fact that neither small boys or little
green men were involved.
The evidence and engineering measurements were made with impersonal
directness. The engineer, recognizing that he knew nothing of the
cause, recorded the effect with court-stenographic impartiality.
A stone of so many grams left point A in a rising parabola and
proceeded to point B where it landed and rolled to point C. It took
X seconds, attained Y velocity at peak, and covered Z feet. Graph 1
represents acceleration and deceleration, and equation XXVII is the
mathematical representation of the space-curve described by this stone
of so many grams.
And bottle VQ contained the stone.
It was all wrong, but it was interesting. It pointed the way to
madness--and unless it could be rationalized, the pathway to madness
would be a one-way street. Thomas knew at that point that his feet
were on that path. He could never retreat until he carried back with
him an answer--and from the data presented, his answer must be right.
The engineer, he knew, had done it deliberately. As a means of
frustration it was more than air-tight. It was perfect. Show a
physicist something that floats between two plates, and he'll go crazy
until he knows why. And the engineer had shown the physicist any
number of things that floated--sped, indeed--through the air between
heaven and earth, like Mohammed's coffin.
Without the benefit of mirrors.
Well, Thomas Lionel, are you licked?
He found a letter that removed all doubt as to the reason. He opened
it and read:
Dear Archimedes:
Since you so gallantly presented me with this aggregation of things
to measure the last three decimal places of everything, I have
decided to put it to work. I have had some fun, thanks to you, in
measuring things that I believe have never been set to music before.
I have spent some time collecting and presenting data.
This data I do not pretend to understand. I don't intend to try. I
am merely an impartial observer. To harness this power would be a
boon to civilization. I can see a small truck full of equipment
bearing the sign: