Only One Left

(All facts are true and can be researched online)

In 1952, Dr. Amstaed Grunsch, of the Czech Republic, was hired by the United States government, for a secret experiment called Project Locus. Dr. Grunsch’s field of expertise was in itself experimental. Or, at least, nascent. And as a young, but burgeoning field of study, Dr. Grunsch was at the forefront. He was studying Fluxuating Syncopation in Air Molecules, (FSAM for short). The theory was that if one could predict and quantify the miniscule ruptures in the space between air particles, they would be able to somehow translocate physical matter much quicker than Einstein’s Theory of Relativity could account for.  Of course, even though he was 72 at the time, Einstein felt this to be a fool’s errand. But still, he welcomed anybody able to prove him wrong.

Doctor Grunsch felt that with a strong enough power source, and with precise equipment, one would be able to navigate in between the individual air particles to achieve trans-location. However, he was stymied by the poor condition of the frankly useless post-war equipment left in the Czech Republic. What hadn’t been destroyed (either by enemies, or retreating Czech soldiers using phosphorous grenades to destroy all possibly intelligence) had been severely burnt, dented or stripped for parts.

Luckily, the United States had heard of Dr. Grunsch, and saw great possibilities in his work. With their current Cold War with the Soviets showing no sign of slowing down, indeed it was escalating, the American government felt that any edge it could get over its enemy was worth experimenting with. So Dr. Grunsch and his team were transported to a top secret laboratory in Fort Ferncliff, which was a little-known scientific subset of Fort Riley. The laboratory was set up in a repurposed missile silo for the protection of the people within, as much as the people outside.

The lab was dubbed Susicka (Czech for DRYER) by the scientists because they discovered that the less moisture was in the air, the easier translocation occurred. It helped to split the molecules and create larger pockets through which to navigate. Susicka was as state as the art as possible in 1953. Many military suppliers were made or broken by the contracts to build the requisite equipment. Three Univac 1103 Cray Computers, designed by Engineering Research Associates and built by Remington Rand were installed. This was unheard of at the time as they were the most advanced computers in existence. The Armed Forces Security Agency was upset, as all ERA contracts were to be allocated to them. But the higher ups felt that Project Locus, would fare better than pipe dreams of one day being able to go into space. 

Doctor Grunsch and his team spent four years working on Project Locus, meaning that Einstein died before he could see any success, or failure. The team of Czech scientists worked long hours, partly out of devotion, partly out of their American masters demanding results. The stress caused some scientists to quit. Some were forced back to work; the others were never seen again. But eventually, after more manhours than could be counted, and more grey hairs than anybody wanted to admit, the team thought they had completed their machine, named: The Submolecular Optimization Coordinated Kenetitron (SOCK).  

The problem was  Dr. Grunsch did not feel that the machine was ready to be deployed. He felt that it required more testing, as it was extremely dangerous and the results could be catastrophic. But the military was anxious to use the machine. The Cold War was escalating, stockpiles were growing and they felt that nuclear attack was imminent. They wanted to get there first. Perhaps translocate one of their own bombs straight into Moscow. So, on Sunday, Dec. 8, 1957, the first, and only test of the Submolecular Optimization Coordinated Kinetitron took place.

Unfortunately, it turns out that the doctor was right. The machine wasn’t ready, that much was obvious in the first four seconds. All three computers exploded and half of Kansas lost power. Fires ignited everywhere. The smoke was dense and caused many to suffocate as they inhaled aluminum, nitrogen sulfate and other compounds that were meant to be contained, and not breathed by human lungs. Only one person survived. Doctor Grunsch disappeared. The machine itself disappeared into the fluxuations, never to be seen again. But in that small way the experiment was a success, as the results still reverberate to this day.

And that’s why one SOCK always disappears in the DRYER.