This speculative dramatization takes place in a board room of an unnamed corporation.
Characters in this dramatization: "Fioravanti" - Domenico Fioravanti "THE BOSS" - Fioravanti's Superior. THE BOSS: Can I make an offer you can't refuse? Fioravanti: [hesitates] What did you have in mind, sir? THE BOSS: Look, I get it that this device is an unknown factor. I get it that it is dangerous. I really do. However, I'm the CEO of this outfit because I'm willing to take chances on long shots. Andrea's machine is another "long shot." The only way I can determine whether this "long shot" will pan out is to get individuals LIKE YOU, working on it NOW! Quite frankly, I wouldn't trust an engineer who didn't show genuine fear when approaching an unknown factor like Andrea's machine. But you have also told me that this "log shot" produces a massive amount of thermal heat, and with practically NO input power being used to power it. YOU KNOW WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE... WHAT THIS DEVICE MEANS FOR US. Again, I get it that this thing scares the living merde out of you, but I also know that as an engineer you won't be able to forgive yourself if let this once-in-a-lifetime event slip away from you. And I want you to be the person who can do that, precisely because you are so scared of it... scared of the dangers it may have in store for us. That's the kind of person I want working on this device. Fioravanti: I need full control over the R&D operations of this program. THE BOSS: If it is within my power, you will get everything that you need. However... Fioravanti: However... what? THE BOSS: There is a delicate PR issue that needs to be addressed. It's tightly related to the competition. Fioravanti: [long pause] Yes... there are potential problems, sir. As you well know, there are other individuals and corporations hot on the trail, ... Like Mr. Ahren, Miley, Ames National Laboratory, Defkalion... I suspect they are all working on similar technology. THE BOSS: Yes, no doubt they are. But what concerns me even more is the fact that even MORE outsiders may soon get curious. Additional "curiosity" is NOT good for us or our corporate goals. We have to figure out how to slow down this growing rate of "curiosity". We need to buy ourselves additional time to get something out into the market. I aim to be the first company to commercialize Andrea's technology in a big way. To do that we have to distract our competitors... throw them off the track as best as we can. Fioravanti: What did you have in mind, Sir. THE BOSS: You sound like you spent some time going over Mr. Krivit's commentary. Fioravanti: Yes, I've browsed through some of his posts. THE BOSS: We need Mr. Krivit to succeed. Fioravanti: Ok... [Looking puzzled] what are you driving at? THE BOSS: We need Mr. Krivit's New Energy Times web site to gain better recognition within the mainstream... Far more recognition than it currently enjoys. Fioravanti: [long pause] Ok... I think I know where you're going with this. A decoy. Right? THE BOSS: Right. Fioravanti: And how do you propose to do that, Sir. THE BOSS: You're an engineer, right? Fioravanti: Right, sir. THE BOSS: You also understand how to assemble evidence that follows strict scientific protocol, right? Fioravanti: Of course, sir. I went to college. I remember all that stuff. THE BOSS: Good. I want you to write up an iron-clad scientifically accurate report on Andrea's machine. Fioravanti: I can't do that until I get the machine in our Labs and hook it up to our equipment. THE BOSS: Of course... Of course. As SOON as it is delivered to our labs I want you to follow up on producing a scientifically accurate report. I'll need it in order to accomplish my little disinformation campaign. [A long pause...] Hmmm. Say, Domenico, it goes to follow that you would also know how to manipulate the methodology behind scientific protocol and, let's say... imply that the measurements coming out of Andrea's machine are highly suspicious if not downright incorrect. Fioravanti: [Laughing] Andrea's measurements HAVE ALWAYS BEEN highly doubtful - from a scientific perspective. You don't need me to manufacture garbage for you! [Becomes more serious, a long pause] What are you implying here, sir. Are you asking me to falsify Andrea's data by deliberately generating falsified data? I won't do that, sir. THE BOSS: [sighs] Domenico, we are in business! We are in competition with other businesses that wouldn't hesitate a second to do what I'm suggesting. Ethics is a matter of perspective, especially in matters of marketing! Falsifying data is a tried and true procedure of PROTECTING the data... particularly from prying eyes. It's nothing more than a decoy. Everybody does it. Ask yourself, Domenico, do you WANT to work on this project, or not. Do you want to see your project eventually develop into products we can sell to the world? Do you want to be rich? Fioravanti: [long pause] How much of my soul are you asking me to sell off to you, sir. I'm an engineer bound by the professional ethics of an engineer. I would lose my professional status falsifying data. I have personal ethics I will not violate. THE BOSS: [snorts] YOU could end up being far richer than the richest engineer on the planet. But no matter. I understand your reluctance. I will respect your professional ethics. Fortunately, I'm not asking you to lie about the data. Granted, it's possible I may want you to occasionally accentuate the LACK of certain data. Now, surely you can perform a little lie of deflection, can't you? Fioravanti: [A long heavy sigh] Possibly... I guess so, sir. THE BOSS: Ok, then. I think we can work something out here. Don't sweat it, Domenico. Actually, all I REALLY need from you is a scientifically accurate report on Andrea's machine. NO FABRICATIONS NEEDED! NO LIEING! You're in the clear! Fioravanti: I can do that, once we get delivery. THE BOSS: Good! Oh, by the way, I know a little more about Mr. Krivit and his New Energy Times web site than I originally lead on. I have been monitoring some chat lines, including vortex-l list. That place has been a particularly interesting place to lurk about in. Actually, I haven't had to do much lurking myself. I have a tech-savvy grandson with a lot of time on his hands who culls through most of the posts. He sends me the more interesting gems for review. [smiles] He knows my tastes. Fioravanti: [looking curious] And what did you find out, sir? THE BOSS: I think Mr. Krivit is more vulnerable than what most would assume is the case. This concerns me. I aim to prop him up... his website up a bit, at least in the financial sense for as long as necessary to serve our corporate interests. It's important to us to make sure Andrea continues to look either like a fool or a scammer to our competitors. The best person in the most advantageous position who can accomplish such an objective is Mr. Krivit. Therefore I want to make sure Mr. Krivit's continues to publish highly critical information that skeptics will continue to exploit. Fioravanti: And how do you plan to do that. THE BOSS: First of all I need to get rid of Mr. Krivit's current financial benefactor. Fioravanti: What! You just told me you WANT to support Mr. Krivit's web site, not destroy it! THE BOSS: I do! I do. However, in order to support Krivit's website in the manner that suits my corporate objectives I need to be in better control of the purse strings. The best way to accomplish that feat is to become Mr. Krivit's SOLE financial benefactor. Fioravanti: How are you going to accomplish that? THE BOSS: Leave that to me. Over the last month my grandson sent me some interesting Vortex-L posts. There's this other Vortex poster, some guy who goes by the name of "OrionWorks". He mentioned the fact that Mr. Krivit has only one financial backer. I'll put my investigators on the matter... see if they can find out who that benefactor is. Maybe we'll contact this OrionWorks guy and see if he knows the name of the individual. Once we find out who the benefactor is, all you need to do is supply me with iron clad documentation that proves, scientifically speaking, that Andrea's machine works. I will then have an anonymous source present your report to Mr. Krivit's benefactor, privately, discreetly. We'll make it clear to him that at present we can NOT give him a copy to show Mr. Krivit. We'll tell him, we are bound by legal issues not to publicly divulge the information due to pending patent issues, or something to that effect. We'll also mention the fact that we had already attempted to approach Mr. Krivit with the exact same scientific report, but Mr. Krivit rebuffed all of our prior efforts to be informed of the actual facts. We'll tell the benefactor that as a result of Mr. Krivit's rebuffs our sources will no longer have anything to do with him. Our sources will make it clear to the benefactor that Mr. Krivit has been working against his own philanthropic interests. Of course, Mr. Krivit will not believe anything his benefactor will have to say on the subject - most obviously because he NEVER actually had such a meeting with our operative. Krivit will accuse his benefactor of having been duped by unreliable sources. This, in turn, will anger Krivit's benefactor for assuming he is a gullible idiot. They will quickly start accusing each other of insincerities. The relationship will soon fall apart. Ergo, no more benefactor. Fioravanti: Sir, you are a devious bastard. THE BOSS: Thank you, Domenico. I have a healthy, well-funded company to show for such deviousness. Fioravanti: ...and you believe this "Orionworks" guy? THE BOSS: Well, he said he used to be a former Board of Director member for Mr. Krivit's New Energy Times web site. Seems he fell out of favor with Mr. Krivit, or something like that. Didn't like what Mr. Krivit was reporting. I gather he was kicked out, or maybe he was asked to resign. No matter. In any case it was this Mr. Orionworks guy who mentioned the fact that Krivit's benefactor is a single individual. Maybe he is still steamed about having been kicked off Krivit's directory board. Maybe I can, oh, how can I put it... help channel his anger to our own advantage. Fioravanti: You think this Orionworks guy will give your operative the name of Mr. Krivit's benefactor? THE BOSS: Why not? I can be persuasive. Fioravanti: And if he doesn't know... THE BOSS: My grandson is a hacker. A pretty good one too. Last year he hacked into our corporate website during a weekend of boredom. After I discovered who did it I punished him severely. I made him an offer he couldn't refuse. My offer was that I'd keep him out of jail, but he would be under house arrest - MY house, which would be devoid of all of his favorite toys. His punishment would also include no Internet access for a month. He nearly died. Afterwards, I offered him a job in our IT department handling security issues. It was an offer he chose not to refuse. I'm sure the salary I offered impressed him. He can buy all the video games he wants now instead of bootlegging them for himself and for all his friends. [He smiles] He's a smart kid. A good kid. Just a bored kid looking for a few good challenges in his life. I gave him something useful to do with his boredom, and I pay him well. I'm sure he can hack into Mr. Krivit's website and hunt around for interesting stuff. Maybe we can find out the names of the other Board Members. Maybe some of them would be willing to talk. Fioravanti: Wait! Wait! This is all getting too elaborate for me. Why do you want to do all this covert stuff! THE BOSS: Look, you already know why I'm after Mr. Krivit's current benefactors and why I want to give them reason to stop funding his operations. Fioravanti: Yes, I understand that part. THE BOSS: That, of course, will make Mr. Krivit vulnerable. Meanwhile, soon afterwards, I will send another front man representing our own best interests who will pay Mr. Krivit a special visit. It can't cost that much to fund Mr. Krivit's operations. I gather it's basically a one-man show. I don't think Mr. Krivit lives a lavish life style. Our Front man will say something to the effect that he is speaking on behalf of a rich and powerful consortium of individuals who need to remain anonymous for obvious reasons. (Actually that' a TRUE "lie", but no matter) ... I think the mysteriousness of it all will at least intrigue Mr. Krivit. He IS an investigator reporter, or so he claims. It ought to make him curious and want to know more about who he might be dealing with. Our front man will mention the fact that his "employers" have been aware of Mr. Krivit's writings for some time... and what do you know! ... THE BENEFACTORS AGREE WITH WHAT MR. KRIVIT HAS BEEN SAYING ABOUT MR. ROSSI. That ought to appeal to Mr. Krivit's ego. I think he has one, by the way. A really BIG one. The front man will tell Mr. Krivit that his "employers" have been in close contact with numerous organizations in high places of government... defense, and key industries. He will mention the fact that they had their own operatives checking out the validity of Andrea's machine, and they ALL came to the exact same conclusion that Mr. Krivit has been publishing. Mr. Rossi is a scam artist, extraordinaire! I suspect this will also appeal to Mr. Krivit. But now, here comes the interesting part. Our operative will mention the fact that their consortium has been working on prototypes that prove beyond a shadow of doubt that the Widom-Larsen theory appears to be the key explanation that explains all the anomalous heat many cold fusion researchers have been getting for decades. Fioravanti: ...the Widom, what??? THE BOSS: The Widdom-Lar... Oh, forget it. Widdom is not important. Well... that's not exactly right. It's important to Mr. Krivit. To be honest, Domenico, I have this sense... I suspect there has already been some kind of an agreement struck between Mr. Krivit and some other consortium... I wish I knew who they are, and this concerns me. Perhaps it has something to do with the folks over at the Widdom-Larsen camp... or maybe not. I don't know for sure. However, whoever they are, I think they secretly presented Mr. Krivit with a real dog and pony show... made a lot of promises to him too. I suspect Krivit expects he will scoop a major exclusive from those guys in the near future. I think that's why he has been so confident in his relentless attacks against Andrea. To me, Mr. Krivit behaves as if he already possess insider information that will blow the whole Cold Fusion community out of the water... eventually leaving him firmly in charge. Fioravanti: And you essentially want to do the same thing to Mr. Krivit... present him with another dog and pony show? [He smirks] A carnival act. THE BOSS: Exactly. I want you to assemble a team of researchers and technicians to help arrange a demonstration over at the facilities of [Redacted]. I'm going to arrange to clandestinely fly Mr. Krivit in and have your specially selected team show him one of Andrea's devices running... but of course, we won't mention the fact that the device originated from Andrea. We'll just show Krivit one of the separated reactor modules happily running and generating an undeniable amount of thermal heat. Give Mr. Krivit all the scientifically accurate measurements he has been coveting. We'll tell Mr. Krivit that the device was assembled at one of our own secret labs and that, for the time being, what we just showed him cannot be published... for patent pending reasons. It's important we show Krivit undeniable scientifically verifiable proof that excess heat is being generated so he knows the phenomenon is for real. However, it's crucial that what he was shown bares no relationship whatsoever to Andre's machine. Fioravanti: And then what? THE BOSS: We will tell Mr. Krivit that he has an important mission to accomplish. It is imperative that he continue his relentless attacks against Andrea Rossi and his operations. We need him to prevail in order to help our sources gain a better foothold in the industry because our position is still tenuous at best. We'll tell Krivit our sources became so impressed with his investigative skills that we decided to choose him for an exclusive when the first products start rolling off the assembly lines. We'll tell Krivit that our "employers" want to ensure he stays around so that he can do the scoop... therefore, we will fund his reporting activities. Fioravanti: [slowly shaking his head] Sir, were you ever employed in counter intelligence? THE BOSS: Domenico, my entire business has constantly revolved around managing counter intelligence operations. Look, EVERYONE in the field employs counter intelligence on some level. It's not just that. At other times we end up in collusion with each other too. I will contact Ahren, Miley, Ames National Laboratory, Defkalion... ALL of them and give them an assessment on what it is I intend to do for Mr. Krivit. I suspect most won't object. They all know what's at stake here. We got to keep the really BIG guys completely duped and out of the picture for as long as possible. I'll stress the fact that we're all in the same pie together. I'm sure none of the current players would like to see our "pie" get sliced any thinner than it currently is. Hell! Some might even help out. [long pause of silence] THE BOSS: You seem pensive, Domenico. Speak your mind. Fioravanti: Well, you know, sir, I really don't like the idea of using Mr. Krivit this way. It's despicable. THE BOSS: And you don't think Mr. Krivit hasn't exploited his own sources in a manner that has suited his own objects? [Snorts] Domenico, you are so naive! Fioravanti: That may be true, sir, but that still doesn't mean I have to play the same game... [long pause] Wait. Just one moment, sir. I have an idea. THE BOSS: yes? Fioravanti: Sir, I propose that in the end we come clean with Mr. Krivit. In the end lets be completely sincere in our efforts to give Mr. Krivit an exclusive on our commercial products. THE BOSS: Go on. Fioravanti: Here's my point, sir. Once we have some commercial products ready for market I propose that once again we fly Mr. Krivit back to the labs and show him the details, one more time. But this time reveal EVERYTHING to him. We now reveal the fact that the entire technology he originally witnessed had from day one been based on Andrea's prototype. THE BOSS: Ok... Go on... Then what. Fioravanti: Simply give Mr. Krivit the privilege of being the first reporter to scoop the event. I think it is the least we can do for having used him for our own nefarious reasons. THE BOSS: [Looking amused] Ok, then... What do you think Mr. Krivit will do? Fioravanti: I have no idea, sir. In the end, I guess it's up to Mr. Krivit. I guess if he truly perceives himself to be an investigative reporter who is in the business of objectively reporting the news, it will not matter if his prior opinion of Mr. Rossi had been incorrect. All that I hope matters to Mr. Krivit would be to get the facts out no matter what those facts might be. Give him the choice of being the first investigative reporter to scoop the story of the century. Or not, if the case may be. [THE BOSS smiles.] THE BOSS: Domenico, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. [The remaining portion of this transcript has been REDACTED] ****************************************************** END OF SCRIPT - END OF PART 2 of 2 ****************************************************** Author's note: I have it on high authority that this "OrionWorks" individual has no memory of whom Mr. Krivit's benefactor(s) might be. Therefore, no amount of persuasion, be it through monetary means or through water boarding would affect the outcome. Regards, Steven Vincent Johnson www.OrionWorks.com www.zazzle.com/orionworks
