Answer Scene: Rapid Unplanned Disassembly
With many companies prepared to present their newest products, one massive announcement echoed through the wide open spaces of the large convention center, the gauntlet, something that could revolutionize manufacturing. According to spokeswoman Jennifer Warpwell, the device would allow a single man to construct a space-craft in no time. Nothing of the sort had ever been thought of before, but behind the scenes, tensions were high. Struggling with her collar and sweating through her suit, Ms. Warpwell watched as an engineer fumbled with the gauntlet, pulling at parts and growling as a pop let out and smoke poured out.
"It's not ready, Ms. Warpwell, our initial estimations were off. The gauntlet suffers from an unforeseen malfunction in the projector module. If we are to present today, it will surely fail. We just don't have the proper equipment to ensure success in this environment." The man said, pulling up his welding mask to reveal a dirt-caked face. An older man in a suit squinted furiously.
"So we jumped the gun is what you're saying, the biggest project our company has ever pushed, and we can't even get it ready for the biggest Expo in our lifetimes, in everybody's lifetimes!" He pursed his lips and swallowed.
"Son of a bitch! We're all gonna lose our goddamn jobs because some dumbass down in testing didn't see a bloody prob-"
"There wasn't time for testing, sir, we were 'sure to succeed'." The older man scoffed and shook his head. Warpwell bit her lip.
"How big a problem do we have here?" The older man asked with a scowl. The engineer hesitated and grappled with the gauntlet.
"My guess? Ten percent chance the thing explodes on stage, forty percent it lets out a deadly burst of radiation right into the user's face, and fifty percent chance it doesn't do anything at all." The older man grumbled to the ceiling and fell against a nearby wall. He pulled out a cellphone.
"Cancel the demonstration... Warpwell! Get on stage and try to fix this disaster." With a nod, Jennifer complies, walking out on stage and issuing an apology to a resounding cry of anger. Immediately, Groundley had gone from the front-runner in technological debate, to a laughing stock.
How did the Keplerian Cooperative force all forms of space travel from the past into obsolescence?
[Light, 148.7]