Read Online Stranded (A stand-alone SF thriller) (The Prometheus Project Book 3) by Douglas E. Richards - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Douglas E. Richards
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no idea they’re now on the surface of a three-dimensional object . One that is touching their realm. All they know is that they’re stepping onto a small line that they’ve measured over and over again. And when they do they’re suddenly roamingaround a surface that gives them hundreds of times more space than they expected when they entered.”
Ryan was straining so hard to understand he thought his head would explode. “So you’re saying you think this is what is going on with us . That our Prometheus touches upon the very edge of a higher dimension.”
“Exactly. The Flatlanders in the drawing are roaming around on a two-dimensional surface of a three-dimensional object. We’re roaming around on a three-dimensional surface of a four-dimensional object. And just like the Flatlanders, we perceive a city vastly bigger than the measurements we take of it from the outside. And also like the Flatlanders, we can only perceive the three-dimensional piece that’s touching us. Which is a hollow, hockey-puck shaped hole carved out of the earth far under Brewster.”
Ryan scratched his head, perhaps hoping to stimulate his brain, and his sister appeared to be in a trance as she considered all that their father had said.
“I think I’m getting some of this,” said Regan, “but there’s a lot that still isn’t sinking in.”
“Same here,” said Ryan.
“Don’t worry,” said their father. “If any of this makes sense to you you’re doing well. Flatlanders can’t imagine an up or a down direction. How can they? They live in a two-dimensional universe. Only if you lifted them off the page, so they could see Flatland from above, would they be able to understand. Well, we’re just like them.Our minds can’t possibly imagine where this fourth spatial dimension might be. And there’s no one to lift us off the page, so to speak.” He paused. “So you see—”
An outer door burst open and the tall, athletic figure of Captain Dan Walpus charged into the lab. His blue cotton shirt was in tatters. “There’s been an emergency, Ben,” he said breathlessly. “I need one of your Med-Pens right away.”
Mr. Resnick stared at Dan with his mouth open. “Amanda has them,” he said, trying to shift mental gears as quickly as he could. “She’s packing them for our trip to Isis.”
“Where is she?” asked Dan urgently.
“I’ll get her,” said Ryan, rushing off without waiting for a reply. As much as he wanted to know what had happened there was clearly no time to waste, and he was the fastest member of his family.
“Hurry!” called Dan after him. He turned back to Ben Resnick. “Dr. Harris has been shot,” he said, deeply shaken. “In the Enigma building.”
Regan gasped while her father shrank back in shock and disbelief. “What?” he croaked thinly. “How can that be?”
As far as Mr. Resnick knew, Dr. Harris didn’t have an enemy in the world. He was unanimously seen as a great man with a brilliant mind and gentle soul. A wise and sensible leader who was respected by all. But even if he was widely hated, everyone who was part of the PrometheusProject had undergone extensive psychological testing. All those who had the slightest violent tendencies or were the slightest bit unstable had been weeded out. Or at least they were supposed to have been.
“Will he make it?” whispered Mr. Resnick, unable to keep from wincing as he prepared for the worst.
Dan shook his head. “It doesn’t look good,” he said grimly. “And, Ben … there’s something else you should know.”
From the expression on Dan’s face it was clear he was about to deliver more bad news. Ben Resnick took a deep breath and mentally braced himself for another shock.
The tall, square-jawed captain stared at him without blinking. “The Enigma Cube,” he said uneasily. “It’s missing.”
C HAPTER 7
Lockdown
T he entire Resnick family returned to the Enigma building with Dan Walpus. Dr Harris’s body was well
Ryan was straining so hard to understand he thought his head would explode. “So you’re saying you think this is what is going on with us . That our Prometheus touches upon the very edge of a higher dimension.”
“Exactly. The Flatlanders in the drawing are roaming around on a two-dimensional surface of a three-dimensional object. We’re roaming around on a three-dimensional surface of a four-dimensional object. And just like the Flatlanders, we perceive a city vastly bigger than the measurements we take of it from the outside. And also like the Flatlanders, we can only perceive the three-dimensional piece that’s touching us. Which is a hollow, hockey-puck shaped hole carved out of the earth far under Brewster.”
Ryan scratched his head, perhaps hoping to stimulate his brain, and his sister appeared to be in a trance as she considered all that their father had said.
“I think I’m getting some of this,” said Regan, “but there’s a lot that still isn’t sinking in.”
“Same here,” said Ryan.
“Don’t worry,” said their father. “If any of this makes sense to you you’re doing well. Flatlanders can’t imagine an up or a down direction. How can they? They live in a two-dimensional universe. Only if you lifted them off the page, so they could see Flatland from above, would they be able to understand. Well, we’re just like them.Our minds can’t possibly imagine where this fourth spatial dimension might be. And there’s no one to lift us off the page, so to speak.” He paused. “So you see—”
An outer door burst open and the tall, athletic figure of Captain Dan Walpus charged into the lab. His blue cotton shirt was in tatters. “There’s been an emergency, Ben,” he said breathlessly. “I need one of your Med-Pens right away.”
Mr. Resnick stared at Dan with his mouth open. “Amanda has them,” he said, trying to shift mental gears as quickly as he could. “She’s packing them for our trip to Isis.”
“Where is she?” asked Dan urgently.
“I’ll get her,” said Ryan, rushing off without waiting for a reply. As much as he wanted to know what had happened there was clearly no time to waste, and he was the fastest member of his family.
“Hurry!” called Dan after him. He turned back to Ben Resnick. “Dr. Harris has been shot,” he said, deeply shaken. “In the Enigma building.”
Regan gasped while her father shrank back in shock and disbelief. “What?” he croaked thinly. “How can that be?”
As far as Mr. Resnick knew, Dr. Harris didn’t have an enemy in the world. He was unanimously seen as a great man with a brilliant mind and gentle soul. A wise and sensible leader who was respected by all. But even if he was widely hated, everyone who was part of the PrometheusProject had undergone extensive psychological testing. All those who had the slightest violent tendencies or were the slightest bit unstable had been weeded out. Or at least they were supposed to have been.
“Will he make it?” whispered Mr. Resnick, unable to keep from wincing as he prepared for the worst.
Dan shook his head. “It doesn’t look good,” he said grimly. “And, Ben … there’s something else you should know.”
From the expression on Dan’s face it was clear he was about to deliver more bad news. Ben Resnick took a deep breath and mentally braced himself for another shock.
The tall, square-jawed captain stared at him without blinking. “The Enigma Cube,” he said uneasily. “It’s missing.”
C HAPTER 7
Lockdown
T he entire Resnick family returned to the Enigma building with Dan Walpus. Dr Harris’s body was well
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