Fifty-OneWhile the evangelists face off the Scientologists outside, inside Abbuhl has pushed the disruption cleanup and a day has hardly passed before Hasschler announces the recommencement of experiments. Thad, wearing a blue brass-buttoned jacket that makes him look more a Prussian drill sergeant than ever, lifts his sabre to call for some moderate power shots, but after a few pulses the plasma becomes so unbelievably dirty, full of crap, that everyone quickly realizes that something has gone seriously wrong. Finally, Ari Socarides suggests examining the toroid’s interior with one of the periscopes. They extend periscope number one and its scan reveals a molten hunk of metal hanging within the doughnut just at the bend. “Christ!” exclaims Fournier, “we forgot to retract periscope three.
