Chapter 12 chapter Ten

Infinite Improbability Drive is an astonishing new way to traverse vast interstellar distances in barely a second, without the tedious bumping into hyperspace. This method was discovered by a lucky accident and then developed as a controllable power propulsion technology by the Galactic Government's research team on Damon Glenn. Here's a short story about the discovery. The principle of generating a small number of finite non-probability is of course well understood, simply connect a logic circuit based on a single nano-57 meson brain to an atomic vector A plotter would do--such a device is usually used to break the deserted atmosphere at a banquet, such as transferring all the molecules of the hostess' underwear, and at the same time cooperate with the uncertainty principle to target anyone else present.

Many eminent physicists claimed they could not tolerate such a practice, partly because it demeaned science, but mostly because they had never been invited to such a banquet. Another thing they couldn't stand was their repeated failed attempts to build a machine capable of generating infinite improbability.Such an instrument, if used on a spacecraft, would be able to span the distances between even the most distant stars.Eventually, they angrily declared that such an instrument was simply not possible. One day afterward, a student stayed to clean the laboratory, reasoning that if, he said to himself, such an instrument was in fact impossible, then it must be a finite improbability.So if I were to build one, all I had to do was figure out the exact value of how impossible it was, feed that into the finite improbability generator, have a cup of hot tea...and turn it on!

He did so, and was shocked to find that he had succeeded in creating the long-sought and precious infinite improbability device out of thin air. What shocked him even more was that he was lynched to death by a raging mob (composed of famous physicists) after he won the Galaxy Academy's Outstanding Talent Award.These people eventually discover that what they can't stand the most is actually the "smart ghost".