The Thinking Machine Affair - Bernard Joel - Страница 2

"It will come true one day, my child, it will," her father assured her. "I know what I'm talking about. My invention works perfectly within a limited radius, and I am almost certain that before long I shall find the solution and achieve unlimited distance thought transference."

It was now Vlasta's turn to be silent, and as, for a time, Professor Novak watched her, he assumed that she was trying to figure out how to overcome the stalemate of his experimental research. At last, as the silence grew, he felt he had to ask what she was thinking about.

"I was considering that your invention could actually be used as a two-sided weapon," she replied. "For instance, some unscrupulous power could get hold of it and use it for bringing other people under their yoke, instead of using it for world peace. That would be terrible."

She paused a moment, then continued:

"Some ruthless clique might want to condition the minds of other people to their own way of thinking. They could, without a drop of blood being shed, turn our country, or the Soviet Union, or any other land, into their satellite, and bring it under their control. It is horrible to even think that any freedom-loving and social-minded nation might be subjugated to fascism or some other form of ruthless dictatorship—the mere thought of it makes me shudder..."

"That is why my 'Project I.P.' was given top-secret clearance," the Professor explained; "that's why our villa is guarded day and night by hand-picked armed security officers, and why I am the only person who knows all the details of my experiment. Our Government is only too well aware of the grave dangers which my invention might constitute if it fell into unscrupulous hands, and consequently every humanly possible precaution is being taken to safeguard the world from terror or destruction. My invention is designed to help humanity, not to harm mankind, and that is why I have complete Government backing—both as far as finance and security are concerned."

"Let's only hope that no one else has the same lead as you have and that no one else works on exactly the same project as you do," Vlasta said. "If there were any scientists working on such an apparatus and if they were already more advanced than you are, it could well turn out that, for money gain, they might sell their invention to any unscrupulous elements prepared to pay any price for this sort of power..."

"There's no need to fear that anything of the sort could happen," her father stressed, anxious to put her mind at rest. "At present the only experts who are engaged in research of thought vibrations are Soviet scientists and research workers, and their experiments and findings are well-guarded. I only learned this because of my friendship with Professor Smirnov who heads this type of research in the Soviet Union. But, despite our close friendship, even he only provided the really important research data when both our Government and the Soviet Government decided to support my idea of inventing an apparatus for the transference of positive thought to any part of the globe. So you see, even if anyone anywhere in the world should embark on the same research, it would be years before he, or they, could arrive at the point where our scientists and research workers are now; and that means they would be too late. Once my 'Project I.P.' is perfected, 'World Operation Lasting Peace' will commence immediately and, once this is done, there isn't anything to worry about any longer."

Vlasta accepted the wisdom of her father's words. "You say that your apparatus works satisfactorily within a certain radius?" she asked after a short pause.

"Oh yes, without the slightest hitch," the Professor confirmed.

"How big is that radius at present?"

"About two miles." On sudden impulse he proposed: "Would you like to see it working?"

"I'd love to!" she exclaimed.

Professor Novak led her to his laboratory, which was secured by a solid steel entrance door with a security lock to which only he knew the secret combination. Before working the complex dials, he disconnected the alarm system, for this was linked with State Security Headquarters by electronic connections to inform them if any unauthorized person was trying to gain access to this top-secret laboratory.

It was Vlasta's first visit to this part of her father's villa.

She saw that the spacious room was lit by bright fluorescent lights, the large windows secured by thick steel plates harnessed to the same electronic alarm systems which were linked with state Security Head quarters. As soon as they entered, Professor Novak locked the door behind them. "One must always be prepared for every eventuality," he said. "We must be sure no one else enters." He unlocked the heavy, built-in, burglar-proof safe, removed something, and placed it on the table which was in the middle of the room.

"So that's your 'Project I.P.'," Vlasta exclaimed admiringly. "I didn't expect it to be the size of a portable wireless set—somehow I had imagined it to be a huge thing with plenty of dials and all sorts of gadgets."

"In actual fact," the Professor explained, "the final version—when all problems are solved and everything works to my complete satisfaction—will be even smaller. My ultimate aim is to reduce the machine to half or even one third of its present size."

He plugged the apparatus into an electric socket on the opposite wall and began turning some dials and working tiny levers. Fascinated, Vlasta watched his every move, trying to figure out how 'Project I.P.' operated.

"I am ready for the experiment," her father said at long last. "If you care to name any of your friends or acquaintances whom you wish to receive your thought transference, we can go ahead. But mind, at present the distance cannot be further than about two miles."

"We could try Marie Diouha," Vlasta suggested. "She lives about a mile from here, and it's most likely she's at home."

"Where does she live?"

"Petrin Street 15, second floor, the flat on the right."

"What message do you want to send her?"

"Well—" Vlasta thought a moment and then said:

"Send her a thought message to phone me immediately and to suggest that we go to the Roxy Cinema."

Professor Novak checked to see that the telephone was plugged through to the laboratory, then went to his apparatus and began to work some dials and levers. When he was satisfied that the scene was set for his experiment, he said aloud:

"Marie Diouha, telephone Vlasta Novak immediately and suggest that you and she should go to the Roxy Cinema."

As soon as he had finished the spoken message, he switched off the apparatus. Then he explained:

"Under ordinary circumstances I would just have sent out a concentrated thought message, because it is unnecessary to speak a message aloud; but in this particular case I wanted you to hear that I was transmitting the message you asked me to..."

He was interrupted by the shrill sound of the telephone bell on his desk.

"Shall I take the call?" Vlasta asked.

"Please do. It ought to be Marie."

And it was Marie Diouha!

"I'd actually planned to stay at home tonight and watch the television play," Marie said, "but I suddenly thought I'd phone and suggest we go to the Roxy Cinema. Would you like to come? The film had quite a good Press."

Vlasta made some excuses and declined the invitation. When she replaced the phone receiver, she cried enthusiastically:

"This is almost unbelievable! You have invented and built something tremendous, father! I wouldn't have thought it possible."