The Lost Conversations

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All this normality is a little disconcerting. So many young, fresh... muscled bodies. Perhaps the master could have found a suitable vehicle for his project here, but that would have violated the terms of his mission. Third door, she said. I do hope this will not be another wasted trip...

'Can I help you?'

'... Yes.'

Dr Everett Scott looked up at that. His visitor was dressed in black with a soiled white shirt peeping out from his coat, and long, straggly fair hair that covered only the lower half of his skull. Dr Scott chewed his biro reflectively, but did not stare, instead going back to the physics exam papers he was grading.

Well of course I want your help, that is why I am here you fool. Riff Raff angled his head to glance at the exam paper. I wonder if Mister Majors knows he only scored 37... An idiot, or perhaps distracted at the time?

'What did you want?'

A German. How amusing. 'I would like to ask you some questions, Dr Scott.'

'Ask away. I'll answer to the best of my ability.'

Interesting. He still hasn't looked up. He doesn't seem to want to know who I am or where I'm from, which is a pity since I'm almost tempted to tell him the truth and see if he can keep up this indifference. 'Theoretically speaking, is it possible to concentrate a beam of pure anti-matter so that it may be expelled in the form of an automatic weapon?'

A-ha. That got his attention.

Dr Scott looked up again. Riff Raff was good at staring, and the science teacher soon looked away. He stood up with some difficulty and came around the desk. 'Anti-matter as a weapon?'

Riff Raff's smile lasted for about a twelfth of a second, and was gone as soon as it had appeared. '... Just testing. Everyone knows that it is impossible.'

'Quite right! Now, what was it you wanted?'

Damn you, ask me where I'm from! '... You are injured.'

'Eh?'

Riff Raff removed his hand from the doorframe and gestured carelessly. 'Your legs...'

Dr Scott's eyes narrowed. 'I really don't see what that has to do with anything. If you have a question you will please ask it.' He peered at Riff Raff again. 'Where are you from? England?'

I don't feel like telling you now, imbecile. 'It is of no consequence. My question... is this. Say one were to build an audio-vibratory agitation device - a sonic transducer, shall we say.' Riff Raff finally moved from his position at the safely open door and paced down the row of desks as he talked. 'And suppose this device were to malfunction in such a way that the object to be transported was instead... consigned to dust.' A swift glance to the professor showed his mouth hanging open, and Riff Raff's thin smile made a momentary reappearance. 'How might this be rectified?' he asked, stopping at the end of the row and peering out of the blind at the window.

Dr Scott limped forwards. 'The creation of such a device is beyond any living scientist! But speaking theoretically...' He drew level with Riff Raff, who turned his head. The sunlight shone sickly on his skull and brought out the shadows in his sallow cheeks. Dr Scott did not falter. 'I should say the problem is that the frequency of vibration is perhaps too high for such objects as you are trying to transport. The beam should be widened. Theoretically.'

He seems reluctant to consider it may be possible... 'Yes... And this would solve the problem?'

'Theoretically,' insisted Dr Scott, 'yes. Und... may I ask how you came up with such a que--'

'No.' Riff Raff cut him off and stared at him. 'Thank you, Dr Scott, you've been most helpful...'

The teacher forced a confused smile. 'You're welcome, Mr ...?'

Riff Raff smiled at him, and went away, back the way he had come.

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