In a state of the art vault on a rocky island,
Dr. Redwood walked briskly down the corridor. He was a tall, sturdily built man with long red-brown hair pulled into a neat ponytail. He was not your average scientist. The sound of his heals echoed down
the narrow catwalk. He finally reached the door ahead; after punching the key code in the control panel at the side of the door, he stepped in. Immediately two droids rolled up to him and unfolded, the laser
barrels glinted in the dim light. The one on the left emitted a small beep, and a small wave of red laser light washed over Dr. Redwood. "Greetings Dr. Redwood," said a cool, mechanical voice, and the droids
refolded and rolled back to their positions. The doctor continued on his way until he reached the next door, it opened upon his arrival and swung shut behind him.
Dr. Redwood walked through an invisible beam, and a platinum wall rolled shut behind him. Calmly, he spoke. "Doctor, Red Wood." After a small 'ding', he leaned forward and rested his chin on a strap in a
contraption on the wall. A small strip of red light poured quickly over both his eyes and he pulled his head out. He flicked his eyes up to a display above the door and waited impatiently. The display lit up
three signs, slowly, and one at a time. "Voice wave pattern, correct." "Retina pattern, correct." "Welcome Dr. Redwood, please wait." Dr. Redwood slumped against the wall behind him. If there was anything wrong with this vault, it was that it was extremely slow. But as he looked at the object in his hand, he knew it was all worth it. Finally the computer voice spoke again. "Pressure sensors, deactivated. Lasers, deactivated." The door slid open noiselessly.
Dr. Redwood walked across the white, smooth floor to the empty pedestal ahead. Just before he reached it, he slipped and stumbled. After regaining his balance, Dr. Redwood held his hand over the pedestal.
The mecha-skin melted into his hand and a cold glistening metal skeleton of a hand was revealed. A shiny metal ball was attached to it, through wires. Half gold, and half silver, the letters "GS" were inscribed
in it. With a small click, the wires popped off the bottom of the GS ball. Dr. Redwood winced at the stop of the flow of data that went into his brain. The metal fingers shut tight around the GS ball and the
wrist rotated 180 degrees. Another wire sprung out of the back of his hand and connected into the pedestal. A small pole arose from its center, and a tiny metal dish arose from that. Dr. Redwood set the GS
ball down on top and drew back his hand. The mecha skin flowed out once again until his hand looked just like his other one. The ball started to slowly rotate, and Dr. Redwood exited the second door across
the room and the lasers sprang up behind him. They formed a dome around the GS ball and three others rotated slowly around the room.
As the door shut behind him, the floor lit up with a hum. The next door opened and shut behind him. As the platinum wall slid open, the voice spoke. "Goodbye Dr. Redwood." Finally after bidding the
other two droids goodbye, and walking across the catwalk over the silent abyss, Dr. Redwood exited out of the vault and the final 4 foot thick platinum doors slammed shut behind him.
He raised a hand to shield against the stinging rain and whipping wind. With his other hand he lit up the rocky slope and trudged down to the shore. As he stepped into the rocking motorboat and was driven
away, he looked back at the island. He could just make out the towering vault, with its double entrances, on the north and south sides, quite ingenious really. "Till science can catch up to you, farewell GS ball."
Dr. Redwood entered the small cabin and sat back, rubbing his eyes, recalling his thoughts, 'Till science,' 'Ha,' he thought, 'Science can get me a hand but can't open a simple device, science never really really
explain things, just like religion and,' Dr. Redwood sat up quickly eyes wide in realization. "Just like magic!" he said aloud. The driver turned around. Dr. Redwood looked at the old dark skinned bald man.
"Wot's dat sir?" the driver asked.
"Magic! All these years and we haven't turned to magic, to all those who spent their lives developing magic and spreading it around the world! We have to try magic on it! Go back!" Dr. Redwood
commanded.
"Sorry sir," the driver said, turning around. He called over his shoulder. "The vault won't open for thirty years, donchyano. You programmed it yourself. No turning back now." Dr. Redwood
knew he was right, who could forget all those papers and contracts, and those scary little people who sat in dark rooms actually doing all the programming. It would stay shut for thirty years and the latest
technologies made sure it did. So did a few nations. He had to beat the system.
Over the next month, he tackled it as an experiment. He researched magic; there were two kinds, Eastern and Western. He had to get both involved. But there was no way the guild or any of the sponsors
would agree to such 'foolishness'. So he would have to instigate the involvement 'under the table'. A well-worded article would just do it.
Dr. Redwood walked briskly down the corridor. He was a tall, sturdily built man with long red-brown hair pulled into a neat ponytail. He was not your average scientist. The sound of his heals echoed down
the narrow catwalk. He finally reached the door ahead; after punching the key code in the control panel at the side of the door, he stepped in. Immediately two droids rolled up to him and unfolded, the laser
barrels glinted in the dim light. The one on the left emitted a small beep, and a small wave of red laser light washed over Dr. Redwood. "Greetings Dr. Redwood," said a cool, mechanical voice, and the droids
refolded and rolled back to their positions. The doctor continued on his way until he reached the next door, it opened upon his arrival and swung shut behind him.
Dr. Redwood walked through an invisible beam, and a platinum wall rolled shut behind him. Calmly, he spoke. "Doctor, Red Wood." After a small 'ding', he leaned forward and rested his chin on a strap in a
contraption on the wall. A small strip of red light poured quickly over both his eyes and he pulled his head out. He flicked his eyes up to a display above the door and waited impatiently. The display lit up
three signs, slowly, and one at a time. "Voice wave pattern, correct." "Retina pattern, correct." "Welcome Dr. Redwood, please wait." Dr. Redwood slumped against the wall behind him. If there was anything wrong with this vault, it was that it was extremely slow. But as he looked at the object in his hand, he knew it was all worth it. Finally the computer voice spoke again. "Pressure sensors, deactivated. Lasers, deactivated." The door slid open noiselessly.
Dr. Redwood walked across the white, smooth floor to the empty pedestal ahead. Just before he reached it, he slipped and stumbled. After regaining his balance, Dr. Redwood held his hand over the pedestal.
The mecha-skin melted into his hand and a cold glistening metal skeleton of a hand was revealed. A shiny metal ball was attached to it, through wires. Half gold, and half silver, the letters "GS" were inscribed
in it. With a small click, the wires popped off the bottom of the GS ball. Dr. Redwood winced at the stop of the flow of data that went into his brain. The metal fingers shut tight around the GS ball and the
wrist rotated 180 degrees. Another wire sprung out of the back of his hand and connected into the pedestal. A small pole arose from its center, and a tiny metal dish arose from that. Dr. Redwood set the GS
ball down on top and drew back his hand. The mecha skin flowed out once again until his hand looked just like his other one. The ball started to slowly rotate, and Dr. Redwood exited the second door across
the room and the lasers sprang up behind him. They formed a dome around the GS ball and three others rotated slowly around the room.
As the door shut behind him, the floor lit up with a hum. The next door opened and shut behind him. As the platinum wall slid open, the voice spoke. "Goodbye Dr. Redwood." Finally after bidding the
other two droids goodbye, and walking across the catwalk over the silent abyss, Dr. Redwood exited out of the vault and the final 4 foot thick platinum doors slammed shut behind him.
He raised a hand to shield against the stinging rain and whipping wind. With his other hand he lit up the rocky slope and trudged down to the shore. As he stepped into the rocking motorboat and was driven
away, he looked back at the island. He could just make out the towering vault, with its double entrances, on the north and south sides, quite ingenious really. "Till science can catch up to you, farewell GS ball."
Dr. Redwood entered the small cabin and sat back, rubbing his eyes, recalling his thoughts, 'Till science,' 'Ha,' he thought, 'Science can get me a hand but can't open a simple device, science never really really
explain things, just like religion and,' Dr. Redwood sat up quickly eyes wide in realization. "Just like magic!" he said aloud. The driver turned around. Dr. Redwood looked at the old dark skinned bald man.
"Wot's dat sir?" the driver asked.
"Magic! All these years and we haven't turned to magic, to all those who spent their lives developing magic and spreading it around the world! We have to try magic on it! Go back!" Dr. Redwood
commanded.
"Sorry sir," the driver said, turning around. He called over his shoulder. "The vault won't open for thirty years, donchyano. You programmed it yourself. No turning back now." Dr. Redwood
knew he was right, who could forget all those papers and contracts, and those scary little people who sat in dark rooms actually doing all the programming. It would stay shut for thirty years and the latest
technologies made sure it did. So did a few nations. He had to beat the system.
Over the next month, he tackled it as an experiment. He researched magic; there were two kinds, Eastern and Western. He had to get both involved. But there was no way the guild or any of the sponsors
would agree to such 'foolishness'. So he would have to instigate the involvement 'under the table'. A well-worded article would just do it.