Current and Finished Projects > Stories

THE LUCIFER DEVICE

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robunos:
Just wondering, as this back story is rapidly turning into  a Novel, could a Mod bod please transfer the 'story' posts to the 'Stories' board ?
It will keep this thread clear for the actual build posts, will I will be doing, once I've written the story, to get things sorted out in my mind . . .
cheers,
Robin.

apophenia:

--- Quote from: robunos on May 19, 2020, 10:28:29 PM ---... as this back story is rapidly turning into  a Novel...

--- End quote ---

Excellent! Leaning back, getting comfortable ...  :D

robunos:

FIVE: PRELUDE TO FIREWORKS . . .


Of course, as Prime Minister, Lloyd George would never have felt fear, or panic, in those first few seconds inside the totally dark metal box. He was however, somewhat concerned . . .
He heard Wells moving about in the pitch darkness. "Let's shine a little light on the subject", he said,and with another metallic noise, a shaft of bright light appeared. Another followed, then another, and another, until it was light enough to see, inside the box. Wells had opened the five viewing slits in the front of the box, along with 'windows' at each end.
Lloyd George could now see what his 'prison' was like on the inside. Along the front wall, the vision slits were about seven feet off the floor, and three feet below the ceiling. A low platform ran the full length of the box below the slits, such that a person standing upon it, could look out of them. On the floor of the box were four seaside deckchairs, complete with striped fabric. These had obviously been 'borrowed' from elsewhere. Finally, on the opposite side, close to the door, was a small table, upon which stood a candlestick telephone. Wells was looking out of the slit just to the right of centre.
"Come and look," he exclaimed, "and I'll explain . . . ".
Lloyd George mounted the low step, and looked through the central slit (He was Prime Minister, after all). In the centre of the pit, about 50 yards distant, and 20 feet below him, was a black object, approximately six inches in diameter, supported by a roughly made wooden tripod. The object was basically a cylinder, wider than it was tall, and with a short, blunt cone attached to it's lower end. A second, longer, more pointed cone was likewise attached to the cylinder's upper side. At the top of this cone was another short cylinder, about an inch and a half long, and the same in diameter. What appeared to be a length of cordite fuse sprouted from the top of the cylinder. The whole thing looked like nothing so much as a cartoon bomb, indeed, the only thing missing, was the word 'BOMB', painted in white on the cylinder.
Wells began his explanation. " What you see is today's test version of the Device. Inside the object is a sphere of pure, solid, Carolinum, the 'Core', with a space between it, and the inside of the object you can see, which we call the 'Case'. The Core is coated with a layer of 'Inducive', which when exposed to oxygen, triggers, or 'initiates' the Carolinum to decay. At the moment, the space between the case and the core is a vacuum. When air is allowed to enter the space, the oxygen contained within it will react with the Inducive, and initiate . . ."
"But how," Lloyd George interrupted him, " is the Inducive coated onto the, erm, Core, without the whole thing going up ?"
"That," Wells replied, "even I am not allowed to know, save that it is a very time consuming, laborious, expensive, and dare I say it, dangerous process." "Would I . . ." Lloyd George began, conscious of his position, and by now, genuinely curious as to the inner workings of this curious 'Device. "I doubt it," Wells cut him off, "It is enough for you to know that this thing exists, and to know what it can do . . ."
"Where was I," Wells asked, rhetorically, picking up his narrative. "Ah, yes. The cylinder on top of the device contains a small explosive charge. When detonated, by means of the slow fuse that you can see, the explosion will blow the cylinder off the sphere, this will allow air to enter the space within the sphere, and the decay of the Carolinum will be initiated . . ."
At this point, Wells was interrupted, by the the ringing of the phone on the table. Wells hopped across to it, and answered. After replacing the receiver, he turned to the Prime Minister. " Two minutes to go. Keep watching !" Lloyd George did as he was instructed, while Wells closed the box's side windows, as well as the viewing slits that they were not using.
Lloyd George could now see that on the box on the rim of the pit opposite them, a red flag had been raised. Also, along the duckboards, leading from that hut, down into the pit towards to the tripod with the device on it, was slowly advancing what at first sight, appeared to be some sort of monster . . .
Lloyd George soon saw that it was in fact a person, but a person clad in what was basically a suit of armour. By now, Wells had regained his place at his viewing slit, and was continuing his explanation. " We're only using half an ounce of Carolinum today, so the force of the 'event' will not be that great. We had to find a reason to justify today's test, so what we are testing, is actually the design of the airborne device's case. The technician there, will have enough time, after lighting the fuse, to return to his box, before the device initiates. The armour is just a precaution . . ."
Looking on, the Prime Minister could see that the technician had now stopped, about two thirds of the way to the device, at a short wooden post, set next to the duckboard. He now also saw, that the fuse ended at this post, and was attached to it's top. As he watched, the technician lit the end of the fuse with an ordinary match, turned, and began his slow shuffle back to the rim of the pit, and safety.


TO BE CONTINUED.


cheers,
Robin.

Jeffry Fontaine:
Slow shuffle?  :smiley:

robunos:
You try running, when you're wearing armour, and not used to it . . .   ;)


cheers,
Robin.

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