Page 136 - An Evening with Maxwell's Daemons

Adjournment

breakthrough into losing the last bonds of restraint on their violent
tendencies. I intend to build on that possibility. Suppose another
such purely academic experimentation were done to see how much
money a person might take to commit murder? I’d call the story
“Kill for Gold”. In my version, one of the volunteer student
subjects is inspired to make a career change, and become an
assassin for hire. Or the university’s computers are hacked, and the
data is stolen by persons unknown: the thieves would have a
guideline, a price chart, if you will, for contract killings. I don’t
know the next step in this narrative—at least widespread terror if
the research and its theft become public knowledge. Okay, last call
for inspirations-in-progress.”
Nothing was heard but the scraping of chairs and gathering of
personal belonging.
“Then that does it for tonight,” said Fred Feghootsky, yawning.
“Perhaps something said tonight will stimulate one or more of us to
bring our work to fruition. And our number may be reduced if that
effort is accepted for publication. I fervently wish that it will be one
of mine. Frankly, I am between a rock and a hard place, stuck as the
chairperson of this assemblage unless I succeed or choose to give
up your critical camaraderie and go it alone. Now, I’m sure Hugo
would like to go home. If I had a gavel, I’d rap it. I will let you
know the date of our next meeting: for now, Maxwell’s Daemons
stands adjourned.”

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