Part 6 of The Osiris Enigma

Quinn dropped onto a lab stool and set down the pizza box as Jung Sim and Berkman explained the unexpected chromatograph analysis. As they detailed the anomalous readings, Quinn began to look like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. He could not believe what he was hearing. Jung Sim recommended that they examine the metal under high magnification - perhaps they could find some clue to its origin.

“Well, the pizza is getting cold guys, lets think about this while we eat!” Berkman suggested as he snatched open the pizza box and grabbed a slice. “Mmmmmphhh.” Berkman grunted as he had a taste-gasm. “Now that is what I call a good Chicago style pizza.”

After they had their fill and the pizza box sat empty, Berkman and Jung Sim began cleaning up the chromatograph. They printed out the analysis results and gathered up the remaining metal samples. Quinn cleaned up the pizza crusts, crumbs, and other trash from their feast. Once the lab had been thoroughly cleaned, Jung Sim said, “Gentlemen, if you would please follow me.”

Jung Sim led them through the hallway, just three doors down from the Material Analysis lab. He opened a door labeled Microscopy Lab and waved Quinn and Berk inside. This lab was equipped with a wide variety of optical microscopes and various imaging machines. On the opposite end of the lab there was another door with two clipboards hanging below a small yellow and black radiation warning sign. Jung Sim pulled a clipboard and examined the reservation sheet.

“Gentlemen, we are very fortunate today! No one is scheduled for the Scanning Electron Microscope until tomorrow.” He explained as he wrote “Sim” in the blank time slot.

He unlocked and opened the door revealing a small, rectangular chamber with a door in each wall. The center door was labeled Darkroom, the door to the right was labeled SEM and the door to the left was labeled TEM. Jung Sim unlocked the door labeled SEM and the three men entered the room. The Scanning Electron Microscope was a bulky, low-slung machine with a large video display screen. The control panel was a field of adjustment knobs, buttons, and various connection ports for additional imaging equipment.

“Now that is one beautiful machine!” blurted Berk as he admired the equipment. “We could use one of these back home, eh Quinn?”

“Yeah, sure Berk.” Quinn said uncertainly. He looked a little lost and felt that this piece of equipment was way out of his league. The machine looked very complicated and possibly dangerous if you screwed up. He decided that Berk and Jung Sim knew what they were doing, so he would just stand back and watch the action.

Jung Sim and Berkman began preparing the microscope and the metal sample. Berkman drew out and affixed a tiny portion of the sample to a ceramic pedestal. “We’re in business guys, as soon as this adhesive cures, the sample will be ready to go.” Berkman announced as the SEM began to hum quietly in the background.

Jung Sim was busy selecting buttons and turning knobs. “O.K., Mr. Berkman please put the sample pedestal on this base.” Jung Sim said as he opened a pressure port on the SEM and withdrew a cylindrical base from the opening. Berkman carefully took the base from Jung Sim and loosened the thumbscrews on the clamp. The ceramic pedestal slid easily into the clamp and Berk tightened the screws. The cylinder was placed back in the chamber and the pressure port sealed. Jung Sim turned a knob and pressed a button on the control panel. Almost instantly there was a hiss of air and a pump somewhere in the machine’s guts kicked on.

“Gentlemen, we are about to get our first look at the sample. Once the pump creates a vacuum in the chamber we can start.” Jung Sim said as the pump droned on.

When the pump finally stopped, a green light blinked on the control panel. Jung Sim pressed the button next to the light and the video monitor winked on. As he focused the electron beams on the pedestal, an image gradually formed on the monitor. The investigators gazed for the first time at a three dimensional image of the mystery metal. At first it looked like a small, irregular pile of sand. Jung Sim increased the magnification and focus to a much higher level. This time an image appeared resembling a pile of pea size gravel. Again the magnification was increased, but this time the resulting image was much more revealing. The pile of pea gravel had transformed to a scattered assortment of globular metal shapes resembling a pile of broken river pebbles. Jung Sim began rubbing his chin and said, “We should make some photographs of these structures for later study. Please excuse me gentlemen, I will be back in a moment.”

As Jung Sim left to retrieve some film from the darkroom, Quinn and Berk stared in awe at the strange image before them. The metal globules were festooned with prongs and nodules, almost as though they might fit together or interface with some other structure like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. The investigators both stood still, staring at the monitor until Jung Sim returned with a film cartridge. The film cartridge was placed into a slot on the lower portion of the control panel. An amber light came on and Jung Sim adjusted a knob on the machine. He pressed the button next to the amber light and there was an audible click as the first photo was exposed.

Finally Quinn was able to muster the strength to speak and asked, “What size are these things anyway Jung Sim? What magnification are we on?”

Jung Sim replied, “We began at 50,000 times actual size and worked up to 750,000 times. These structures are very, very small, perhaps 3 or 4 nanometers long. ” Jung Sim began working the knobs and buttons once again, pushing the machine to maximum magnification. Now the particles appeared big enough to fit into the palm of your hand and looked even more evil. The surface of the globules was not smooth but ridged, especially between the nodules and prongs. More pictures were taken of the particles and once the film cartridge was expended, Jung Sim removed it and powered down the machine. “Mr. Berkman, please remove the cylinder from the chamber and store your sample. It will take about one hour to process these micrographs. Perhaps you and Mr. Quinn would like to take a break while I develop the film? There is a lounge at the end of the hallway. I will join you when I am finished.” He said cordially.

“O.K., we’ll see you shortly Jung Sim. C’mon Quinn, I’ll buy you a cup of Joe. We could use a strong dose of caffeine after all this excitement!” Berk said with his trademark shit-eating grin.

Quinn responded with relief, “Sure, lets go put our feet up for a minute or two. We’ll see you there Jung Sim.”

End Part 7

Move on to read part 8