| "Since when did a ping-pong ball prove to be so | | | | pressure if does not act now. He MUST do it now or |
| interesting?" said Daphne. "Wow! Try asking Major | | | | he never will. He lifts the knife slightly and then, with his |
| Peach that", said Brett. | | | | eyes bulging with terror, with the sweat streaming into |
| Daphne and Brett are project technicians. They are | | | | his eyes, he moves it down to within a fraction of the |
| waiting in a room which, apart from them, is completely | | | | ping-pong ball. He is now breaking up inside but his |
| empty; except, that is, for a small black table in the | | | | outer self stays fixed and solid. He is now fated to the |
| centre of the room on which lays an ordinary table | | | | conclusion. He will do it. |
| tennis ball. | | | | The blade of the knife comes to rest on the ball. The |
| They hear footsteps coming nearer and the faint | | | | knife is very sharp. He is strangely becoming calmer |
| mutterings and sighings of Major Peach. He blusters in, | | | | now that he is at the point of no return. He moves his |
| frowning. He is clearly agitated. Wearing a scruffy | | | | left hand towards the ball and grips it between his |
| brown checked suit and scuffed brown shoes; a | | | | thumb and forefinger. It is now time. |
| stocky, medium height man with the disheveled hair | | | | Daphne witnesses the act. She sees Major Peach |
| and wild moustache reserved only for madmen and | | | | draw the blade of the penknife across the ball. Brett |
| brilliant scientists. But which one of those is Major | | | | seems to see right through the major's body. He |
| Peach? | | | | instinctively knows what is happening. Daphne stares. |
| Brett: "Major Peach, may I introduce...." | | | | Her mouth opens slightly. This is it. It is happening. She |
| "Sh! Sh! Sh!" says the troubled Major Peach. | | | | sees that the major has taken a full swipe across the |
| Silence. Daphne and Brett dare not utter a sound. | | | | ball and that already it is half cut open. He then slides |
| They both stand side by side just to the right of the | | | | the knife forwards again and readies himself for the |
| door that the Major has entered | | | | final swipe. He cannot look. He closes his eyes tightly. |
| Then, the only sound to be heard is Major Peach's | | | | He does not want to witness his own actions. For that |
| slow but deliberate footsteps towards the middle of | | | | moment he does not want to be there. If he closes his |
| the room. His face is ashen, concentrated. No flicker, | | | | eyes he can imagine that someone else is performing |
| and now there is no frown. Staring only at the ball as | | | | the act. Just for a few minutes he does not want to |
| he nears to it. At the edge of the table he stands | | | | be human. So, with his eyes firmly shut he finishes the |
| quietly, as if meditating, still with eyes fixed on the white | | | | job with a final terrifying swipe. At that moment the |
| sphere. Moments, just seconds, seem to last for ages | | | | tension is overwhelming. He now has to emerge from |
| until, at last, Major Peach reaches inside his jacket | | | | his self-imposed mental exile. He must come back to |
| pocket and produces a penknife. He swiftly turns his | | | | the scene and open his eyes. Face the truth and |
| head 90 degrees and makes another 90 degree turn | | | | witness the result. |
| with his body - all this in two quick movements startle | | | | In front of him he sees the inside of the ping-pong ball. |
| the two technicians as the Major fixes on Brett. He | | | | He stares in one semi-sphere then in the other. |
| says calmly and flatly: "You are witnesses." | | | | Daphne: "Well, what...is inside, Major Peach?" |
| Daphne is puzzled. She had been drafted in to "help | | | | The major is drained. He doesn't have an ounce of |
| for a few minutes" by her colleague and friend Brett. | | | | capacity to acknowledge anything but the sight before |
| She now stands by the wall, becoming more | | | | him. |
| apprehensive with every second. She does not know | | | | Daphne must know. She is firmer now: "Major! Are |
| what to make of this situation. A ping-pong ball? This | | | | you OK?" This time Major Peach hears her words. He |
| weird Major Peach? She looks at Brett, expecting a | | | | cannot take in or even accept what he has done, but |
| shrug from him, but instead - and now she is really | | | | he starts to take in his surrounding, or at least |
| scared - she sees him open-mouthed and eyes | | | | remembers his witnesses. |
| bulging, staring at the back of Major Peach. The Major | | | | The Major utters in a frail, quiet voice: "Inside the ball?" |
| turns back to his task. He graduallydraws the penknife | | | | Daphne: "Yes. Major, what is it like? What was inside?" |
| down towards the apex of the ball. As it gets nearer | | | | The major stares down at the two halves. As he |
| his hand starts to tremble. The major must keep | | | | stares he speaks slowly and weakly but with |
| himself together. He knows that no one else can | | | | composure: "The inside is not important. It is what I |
| perform this task. He can't walk away now. In order to | | | | found that is important" |
| steady his nerves he simply freezes every muscle in | | | | Daphne, perplexed: "What did you, er, find?" As she |
| his body. The knife remains suspended above the ball. | | | | speaks she glances at Brett who returns an equally |
| Even though he is behind him, Brett can see that Major | | | | puzzled face. |
| Peach has faltered. He feels the urge to go up to him - | | | | "You see", said the major, "I found Crest, Valance and |
| to put his hand on the Major's shoulder. Something. | | | | Portiere". |
| Daphne, meanwhile, finds herself staring just like Brett. | | | | Brett: "Pallet Shrouds!" |
| She is somehow being drawn in. She is beginning to | | | | Daphne: "You found the pallet shrouds!" |
| understand. No, she doesn't understand. Yes, she does | | | | Major Peach: "Yes they have been found. So it was |
| understand that something very big and important is | | | | worth it." |
| about to happen - that is if the major can continue - | | | | Brett: "But where, major, where are they? How do you |
| but what it is, and why, is beyond her. She shifts very | | | | know?" |
| slowly to the right in order to see over the major's | | | | Major: "Nobody can see inside a ping-pong ball. They |
| shoulder. Oh no! She sees the penknife. She now | | | | can only see inside half of a ping-pong ball. You see, |
| understands the magnitude of this day. She now | | | | we were totally safe after all, because it is impossible |
| knows that she has been called upon to witness a | | | | to describe the inside of a ping-pong ball. That is why |
| momentous event. | | | | so many things are hidden in them, including the pallet |
| Major Peach remains totally still. By steadying himself, | | | | shrouds that we thought had been lost to us." |
| he has simply inverted the tension. Beads of sweat | | | | "Quantum Physics!" stammered Daphne, excitedly. |
| begin to form on his brow. He will explode from the | | | | |