Scene 1. Next

Lilly opens her eyes and she back on her bad in her room at Apollo’s home. She is suddenly concerned about her ‘other self’, on the loose in The Factory suite back in her ‘waking world’.

Maybe ‘she’ has spent enough time in my world that she won’t panic. She can use the bathroom now and she knows that the refrigerator has food. I left some pizza in the frig, but ‘she’ apparently doesn’t like pizza. I don’t think she can get out, the front door is always bolted and it is not easy to open. And she seems to only appear late at night. And not every night. It is only if she has to get up. I need to be sure that I have used the restroom thoroughly every night before bed! I guess we’ll see how she does. I am glad that they have a good cleaning service for The Factory suites though.

The Lilly turns to thinking about herself, What now? More scientific demonstrations? Another visit to my Billy, ‘Al’? She arises and trots to the bathroom. I might as well get ready for the day, no matter what. I wish I could tell Apollo what happened to me in my world. I’ll need to be more careful in my world with the knowledge he gives me. They seem to also have a Psych-Squad here as well. I need to be careful everywhere, if I want to remain intact!

The bedroom doorway suddenly appears, as usual, Apollo is here with a big smile, “Well! How did it go?” Lilly scowls at him, You ass, you know exactly how it went! “I am sorry for that Lilly, but you had to do it yourself alone for the first time.” “Hopefully you made contacts that can help you from now on.” Lilly drops her scowl, Well, I did do that.

“Would you like to see more electrical stuff today?” Lilly smile brightens up and she nods. “Let’s eat breakfast and get going!” Lilly nods again. Yay! Breakfast! Why am I so hungry, even for me? And they are off, repeating the walk across town to the same building, the same hall, to resume the demonstrations with the next table.

On this table is mounted a large metal cylinder with a glass window on one side. A high-voltage inductive-interrupter is connected by wires to a Y shaped glass tube mounted inside the large outer metal cylinder. The Y tube has an evacuation port that is attached by metal tubes to the vacuum pumps, in a manner similar that on to the previous demonstration table. Lilly sees that the Y tube has a filament at the end of one arm and a nickel electrode in front of it. The filament must heat the electrode. Another electrode is at the end of one of the Y arms without a filament. On a solid wire attached from the other Y arm was mounted a small thick sheet of some sort of silvery metal, like platinum. It is mounted at an angle, as if something is being sprayed off of the metal target and out the side of the glass tube. On the bottom of the chamber is a glass plate, smeared with a yellow-white paste. A paper envelope is suspended between the tube and the plate.

Apollo reads the plaque, “In this demonstration we see that ‘dlskjlsd’ rays are produced by a ‘lfgkj’ metal target illuminated by ‘cmncvs’ particles emitted from a high temperature electrode element in a high vacuum. The ‘cmncvs’ metal target releases the ‘dlskjlsd’ rays that then shine on and penetrate the opaque envelope. The contents of the envelope block some of the ‘dlskjlsd’ rays. The item in the envelope is then made visible by the ‘lkljkl’ coated glass screen located below it.” Damn those nouns!

“Note that the apparatus is housed in a metal radiation shield as the ‘dlskjlsd’ rays are dangerous to life. These rays can be blocked by metals, however, with increasing voltage and heaver metal targets, the ‘dlskjlsd’ rays produced can penetrate all but the heaviest metals.”

“Well Lilly, did you get all that?” Lilly shakes her head ‘no’. “Are you ready for the demonstration?” Again, ‘no’. With a smile, Apollo presses the button and the apparatus comes to life. The the mechanical vacuum pump starts to chug. The inductive-interrupter starts to buzz. The mercury tube fills and then drains.

Lilly gasps when she sees yet another miracle of this world’s science. Below the envelope, the screen gradually brightens to display a silhouette, of a pair of metal scissors, the contents of the opaque envelope. The negative image of the open scissors is a shadow on the screen’s green fluorescent glow.

Scene 2. Basic Sciences

I apologize, Lilly, we really did start in the middle of all of this 'science', but I wanted to empress on you the larger purpose of this room.” “But let’s wind back and start again, this time with the basics.” “If we are covering something you already know from your world, stomp or ‘bleat’.” You want me to bleat? Out loud, really?

“You did ask me to teach you our language, but we don’t have time to do this completely. Complete understanding of any language is not necessary to understand science.” “You just have to memorize a few symbols used in math and science.” “Let start with the numbers.” Apollo walks to the side wall of the hall. The side walls are covered with what Lilly thought was decorative artwork or panorama painting tapestries. On close inspection, these 'tapestries' have stylized diagrams that define the mathematics of this world. These are arranged in the order of increasing difficulty, starting with simple numerals, then simple arithmetic, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and so on to geometry, calculus and differential equations. She had already started a numbers book, but now she needs to add these symbols for the formulas. At least all of the formulas on this wall are for math I already know, I just have to memorize the symbols used in this world. I wish I could make a dictionary here.

The next tapestry is arranged the same way, with diagrams of simple concepts leading up to advanced science, this tapestry is for chemistry science. The first diagram she immediately recognized as a periodic table of chemical elements. Apparently the elements are the same in both worlds. I guess all worlds have figured this out. But this is important, she recognizes that the symbols used for the screen are for zinc and sulfur. I thought goo smeared on the screen looked like zinc sulfide. Lilly quickly identifies most of the metals used in the demonstrations, tungsten, nickel, copper, etc., But some of the metal symbols are not listed. These metals must be mixtures of metallic elements that are not compounds. These metal mixtures must be defined on another tapestry.

Then on to the tapestry of 'optics'. 'Optics' is one science that Lilly knows well from her physics class, but she still studies the drawings and symbols carefully, noting the symbols used to describe this familiar science in this world, so she can recognize them when she sees them again later on.

There also were tapestries describing sciences that Lilly has never seen before. She just shakes her head at these, and looks up at Apollo. One diagram had a table organized much like the chemical periodic table with a matrix of symbols. The matrix must represent the relationship each ‘particle’ has with the ‘particles’. She recognizes one symbol on the table, the ‘particle’ used to generate the ‘invisible-rays’ in the invisible-ray machine demonstration.

Apollo smiles, as she breaks the rules and points at the symbol with her fore-hoof, “Yeah, that one is pretty important for electrical stuff,” “but don’t worry, we’ll get back to that one.” “Maybe tomorrow.”

How do you know that I will I be here again tomorrow?

And when do I get to see ‘Al’ the 'Billy' again? I have so much I would like to ask him about this world.

I would like to 'frolic' with him again too.

Scene 3. Industry

The next day Lilly is back in her suite room at The Factory. She stands up out of the bed and regards herself in the mirror. Today is the day to deliver my list of demands. She dutifully dresses, walks down to the cafeteria, eats breakfast. She then calls Ellie, “Ellie, I’m ready to start now!”

Ellie joins Lilly on The Factory floor in Lilly’s designated work area. Ellie has Lilly put on the safety gear required for her working on the factory floor. The hard-hat is not a great fit, as it is designed for a Minotaur with horns coming out in a different direction. The hard-hat does stay on well enough to get by for now, “Ellie, I need you to get me a proper hard-hat.”

The ‘invisible-ray’ demonstration is set up in a space made for it on the factory floor. The floor still has the mounting outline from the machine’s floor mounts of the manufacturing machine that was moved out of the way. On the table, are all of Lilly’s drawings for the assembled devices and the component drawings that The Professor used to fabricate the necessary parts.

I am going to give you all what you want, but we are going to do it my way.

She then hands Ellie a ruled pad, with all pages, front and back, sketched with diagrams for new metal parts. Ellie looks at the pad, still with the pages bound together at the top. Ellie is curious, “When did you do these?”

Lilly smiles, “At breakfast.” “I know you won’t let me run the metal working machines. It isn’t much fun here anyway. The machinist just presses a few buttons and the finished part falls out the bottom.”

Lilly also gives Ellie a long list of electrical components: small motors, switches and solenoids, as well as chemical battery components. The battery designs are new, recently snatched from the other world.

Lilly still smiling, “I am also going to need an arc-welding machine. A new one like the one of the ones we saw on the production line yesterday.” “And I also need welding rods, flux, gloves, and goggles,” “and the latest inert-gas welding stuff too.”

Lilly smiles broadly, “Oh, and call The Professor,” “I need his help with all of this.” “Have him meet me for dinner tonight in the cafeteria, before it closes.” “And tell him to bring his over-night bag.” “By the way, assign him to a room next to mine,” “For our quick and efficient work schedule!” He he.

The Chief and Ellie just pause and stare, clueless, at Lilly.

Lilly is stands up, straight and proud, sporting a broad smile, Gotcha!

Lilly is impressed by the industrial efficiency of The Factory staff. The parts she requested are all gathered in a couple of hours. The new arc-welder machine, complete with the inert-gas accessories, is standing on the floor near the demonstration table.

A worker asks, “Are you going to need any welding jigs?”

“Bring me what you’ve got.” Instantly, a number of welding jigs, of various sizes, appear. Ellie reappears with several bags and boxes containing the new electrical components Lilly requested.

Scene 4. Invisible-Ray

Lilly spends the rest of the day assembling the demonstration prototype of the ‘invisible ray’ machine from the components The Professor fabricated at the college. His ‘Y tube’ is a work of art. The finely machined iron target screwed on to a sturdy rod of nickel. The rod passes through the crimped glass to form a tight vacuum seal. The other Y leg contains a suspended cylinder of nickel foil attached to a copper wire also crimped to the glass tube. The bottom of the Y is a filament and a suspended nickel element that emits these ‘particles’ to strike the iron target and emit theses strange new, ‘invisible-rays’. Lilly smiles and speaks to the air, “Professor, it is lovely!” She will try it out on a small package containing a whole frozen fish in an opaque wrapping, obtained by Ellie for her from the local meat market.

Lilly places the ‘invisible-ray’ tube into the sheet-iron shielding and connects it to the high-voltage inductive-interrupter power source, previously used for the discharge tubes in the last demonstration. Lilly prepares the ‘invisible ray’ view screen using a scrap photographic glass plate painted with a slurry of zinc sulfide. She places the screen down on the table, facing up. She suspends the frozen fish package slightly above the screen. The Y tube with its iron target set to reflect the ‘invisible-rays down from above onto the fish package. She then starts the device, the vacuum pumps come to life and the glowing screen begins to display the shadow of fish skeleton. It’s working! Now to make some plate exposures.

Lilly looks around to see several workers nearby. I think we are okay for today, but The Factory will need to build a shielded permanent ‘invisible-ray’ facility. The rays from this device are said to be hazardous on the warning signs in the ‘other world’.

Lilly then makes several plate exposures, using different exposure times. She then takes the wrapped photographic plates of the ‘invisible-ray’ exposures across the floor of her work area to one of The Factory’s darkrooms. In the development solution trays she set up earlier, she lays the plates into the solution lets the solution dissolve the outer wrapping and develop the plate.

One image shows the fish skeleton clearly, at the ideal the exposure time. Yay! We got a ‘bone image’, for the first time in this world. Now I know that the ‘invisible-ray’ science exists in this world too! It looks right through flesh and into bodies. Lilly frowns, That’s kind of creepy.

Lilly takes a break to do some welding ‘art’ and relax. She then starts arc-welding some of the metal components fabricated for her by Ellie and her staff. Lilly’s workmen arrange portable iron shields to block the dangerous arc-light from shining out from Lilly’s work area and into the other work areas.

One of Lilly’s workers comments to another, “What is that sound, over the arcing sound?” “It’s Lilly, she is singing.”

Lilly sings, with tail wiggling, as she works on her welding sculptures into the evening. She proudly stands next to her latest creation. She snaps a switch and watches the collection of welded plates and tubes stride across the shop floor. She then she retires to her suite, to prepare for dinner with The Professor. Still singing.

I can’t wait to show him ‘everything I’ve got’. I am so excited, I hope I don’t kill him!

Scene 4. Extra Credit

She meets The Professor at the cafeteria and they enter together. She is wearing clothes for her smaller size, before her pregnancy. These clothes do fit her now. Her blouse is very tight, she is bulging around the buttons in the front, revealing her curves within.

Professor, I know what you like. You won’t escape me this time! She sniffs the air around The Professor, Mmmmmm, he smells like the pine forests. She frequently looks up and stares at The Professor, with a sly smile, murmuring “Mmmmmm”, while they eat.

After dinner, she invites him to her suite, “Lets go to my suite and review my latest drawings”. The Professor motions to the cafeteria tables, but Lilly frowns, “It’s too bad, but the cafeteria is closing now.” Lilly's hide is bright crimson, under her thin, translucent fur. She looks and acts as if she is ready to explode. I am terrible at not showing my feelings!

They enter the living room of Lilly’s suite. She seats The Professor on the couch and pulls up the meeting table and places her drawings in front of him. “He you go.” “Take a look here and see if there is anything you would like.” Lilly smiles and leans down, suggestively, in front of him.

“I know that The Chief wants to make a larger version.” “Bigger is always better,” “don’t you think?”

“Would you excuse me while I slip into something more comfortable,” Like You!

She reappears from the bedroom wearing nightclothes that leave little to the imagination.

“Ahhhhh! That’s better!” She sits down on the couch and cuddles up next to The Professor, squeaking with excitement, tail wiggling.

The Professor looks at her and exclaims,“Lilly! Your husband!”

She smiles and stands. She pulls him up from the couch and leads him back to the bedroom, smiling, “I don’t plan to tell him.” “You had better not.”

Scene 5. Confession

The bedroom is very dark, with a single candle burning on a small table next to the large bed. The Professor is grimacing in reluctance at being dragged into the bedroom by his anxious student. Lilly releases him and closes the door. Two of the meeting chairs have been positioned next to each other, along the bedroom wall. She leads the Professor to a chair and sits him down and she then sits in other chair. It is so dark that their voices seem like disembodied spirits. The professor looks over at Lilly and is notices her shadow, projected on the wall behind her by the candlelight. It is the silhouette of a hunkering dragon.

Lilly takes a breath, takes his paws into her fore-hooves and begins her confession to him, “I need you now, like I need the Sun.” “You have many things I need. In addition to the support for my project, I need the comfort I feel from your company, and from your friendship.”

Lilly starts to softly weep, “I know I have a good husband.” “He is a wonderful family man, a hero, and a saint.”

She sits up and clearly states, “However, a saint cannot help me now.” “Roc cannot see into my world no matter how how much I want," "and he wants to and he tries.” “He may never understand me and what I am doing, and what I must do.” “I need someone to help me that has depth of experience, in the arts and the sciences, both the light and the dark.” “And not just with the technical details, as much as I also need that.” “I need help to keep focused on my long and frightening journey.” “I need help to stay sane, at least as sane as is possible for me.”

“I need you to come with me.” “Let me rephrase that.” “I would like you to come with me." "I don’t have anyone else in my life that understands what I see.”

Lilly then stands and walks over to The Professor’s chair and lifts him up to standing. She then embraces him tightly, setting her large head against his chest. She closes her eyes and begins to softly weep again, appealing, “Please join me!” “Please love me!”

The Professor feels Lilly, weeping and shivering, pressed against his chest and he is genuinely concerned for his precocious physics student’s sanity, “Okay, I will continue to help you with as much as I can.” “But you must promise me that you will tell me everything that you see.”

Lilly looks up at The Professor, their faces almost touching, and she tearfully nods.

She then pulls him over to the bed, sniffling, “Please!” “sniffle,” “sniffle,” “Please don’t deny me!”

Her shadow has now assumed the shape of a dragon, with wings unfurled, ascendant.

She looks up again as The Professor stares in to Lilly’s longing, other-worldly, violet eyes. He kisses her on her forehead, carefully, between her horns.

“You know, you don’t have to address me as ‘The Professor’,” “I have a name.”

“To me, you will always be ‘The Professor’.” She then presses her large chest against his, very tightly. The Professor then finally capitulates to Lilly’s advances. Lilly gives him two soft pink cylinders from her pocket, “What are these for?”

“Put them on my horns.” “I don’t want you to lose an eye.”

As Lilly snuggles up to her big, furry, hug-pillow, and she reflects, This has been a good day. I got everything that I asked for today!