Question: What is the plot of the story involving scientists, a groundbreaking experiment, and the unexpected consequences of their discovery?

Answer:
Ferris and Mitchell discuss the struggles they are experiencing with their research. They are eager to test their new research and want the test subject to be Elliot Macklin, a well-known and attractive scientist with a reputation akin to Albert Einstein. Macklin experiences migraines and the two believe that their injection shot could cure them. The two want Macklin to participate because it could ensure that their research will have strong financial support.

Macklin soon enters their laboratory and begins to ask about what they’re looking to do with their research. Ferris and Mitchell discuss their theory with Macklin and how their supposed cure works. They mention to Macklin, to his dismay, that it has only been tested on animals. Macklin is skeptical and considers the injection too risky and initially does not agree to take the treatment.

Macklin begins to start experiencing a migraine. As he suffers through a migraine, Ferris and Mitchell use the opportunity to try again to convince him to participate in the research. They further emphasize the very minimal potential risk. Macklin finally agrees to take the injection due to the immense pain he is experiencing.

Later on, Mitchell is upset with Ferris for sharing their unverified results with the press. Ferris exclaims to Mitchell that the experiment with Macklin was a success and that he should not be concerned. The phone rings and Ferris answers it but quickly passes it to Mitchell. Macklin’s wife is on the phone accusing them of giving her husband heroin as Macklin appears to be in a trance. The doctors are concerned by the news and decide to check on the test animals. They do not find anything of concern with the test animals and go to Macklin’s house. Ferris does not seem worried to Mitchell as they wait to be let into the house. When they enter the house, an army Colonel meets them and expresses his unhappiness with their actions.

As the group heads into the living room, they greet an army physician that tells them that medically there is nothing wrong with Macklin’s health the only difference is that Macklin is no longer a mathematical genius. The three go into the hallway and discuss how the experiment most likely went wrong. The Colonel becomes upset because Macklin was very important to many missions because of his invaluable research. Mitchell suddenly exclaims that he thinks that Macklin can be cured.

However, Macklin overhears the possibility of a cure and protests receiving the treatment. The Colonel is upset at Macklin’s reaction and tries to convince Macklin’s wife to force him to be cured. Macklin’s wife does not wish to go against her husband’s wishes. They leave the house without convincing Macklin or his wife. Later on, Mitchell wakes up and calls Macklin. Mitchell attempts to get Macklin to trust him and goes about luring Macklin back to the laboratory by saying that he can help with the new types of worries that Macklin experiences.

Answer:
Dr. Mitchell and Dr. Ferris are preparing to test out their new medical breakthrough on world renowned scientist, Dr. Macklin. Their new injection that they have discovered will potentially cure Macklin of his incessant migraines, which plague the genius' daily life. Macklin is famed for being at the forefront of the research team that is almost finished developing a faster than light drive, to help the US army reach Pluto. The only thing in the way of the completion of this project could be Macklin's headaches. Mitchell and Ferris ask Macklin if he would like to be the trial patient for their new antidote, which they only have funding to test out on one person. The antidote consists of a virus that is injected into a specific spot in the brain, blocking off oxygen from entering, curing the patient of any headaches. After walking Macklin through the science behind it and Macklin signing some waivers, they deliver the treatment to him.
The next day, Ferris gives the story of their success with the Doctor to the newspapers, that is until they get a call form Macklin's wife. She tells him that her husband seems to be high on a form of heroin. To this the two scientists protest, but then go to check on their previous animal test subjects to see their state. All the animals tested appear fine, yet subdued. They decide to go and check up on Macklin.
They arrive at his house to meet a colonel at the door, who invites them into the living room, where Macklin is sitting. He has just been evaluated by the doctor, and it turns out that the vaccine has reduced his brain capacity, to the point where he is now a "moron". The oxygen that the brain has been denied has made Macklin stupid, almost childlike. The two scientists propose they can fix this quite easily, and they just need to reverse the treatment they gave him, which would return him to his original state. Both Macklin and his wife refuse this. Macklin wants to live a life without pain, and the thoughts about the universe that would keep him up worrying, late at night. His wife tells the men that she doesn't want to go against her husband's wishes, and if the US government wants to take the pair to court over it, so that Macklin might regain full consciousness and continue with his work on the Pluto project, the court would side in her and her husband's favour.
The men leave, defeated. That is until Mitchell wakes up in the middle of the night, and calls Macklin, convincing him that it's in his best interest to come to his lab, so that he might make him better. The colonel has given his wife a sedative, so she won't wake up. Macklin leaves to unknowingly go to have his treatment reversed.

Answer:
The story starts with Steven Mitchell and Harold Ferris arguing over the candidate that they should test their discovery on. While Ferris suggests Mitchell to be the candidate, Mitchell points out that it wouldn’t be ethical. He suggests that Elliot Macklin, the late Albert Einstein, has more reputation and his migraine is well known. He is the perfect candidate they have. After a knock on the door, Mitchell and Ferris invite Macklin inside. They introduce the injection and claim that his headache can be cured forever with this one simple injection. Macklin notices that they have not yet tested this on a human being, but they assert that it worked fine on rats and chimps. They explain their situation to Macklin, which is a lack of time and money. They have the resources to cure one person. However, Macklin is still suspicious of the injection. Mitchell and Ferris assure that there is practically no possibility of getting a low enough blood pressure to stop the heart. Along with another attack of the migraine, Macklin gives them permission to inject.

Macklin’s wife calls and blames them for giving her husband heroin. Being confused, Mitchell and Ferris look at the test animals and realize that the ones with injections are much more calmer and have less energy. They go to see Macklin. Macklin has become the healthiest, happiest person, but he also becomes a moron, namely not very intelligent. After Mitchell explains that he has the antitoxin to fix him, Carson demands them to give it to Macklin. However, Macklin refuses. He used to be worried all the time, but now he is peaceful. Since he is legally responsible, he can definitely refuse the antitoxin. Thus, they go to Mrs. Macklin, hoping that she will be able to persuade Macklin to take the antitoxin. She also refuses. Later, Mitchell calls Macklin pointing out that he is still doing a lot of thinking. Mitchell tells him that he can get rid of them if he wants.

Answer: Ferris and Mitchell are two biologists that are in the process of developing a cure to the common headache. They want to test their cure on Elliot Macklin, a well-known genius mathematician who suffered from a stroke and is victim to periodic migraines. Macklin arrives, and the two inform him of their plan. They want to create a cure to the headache using an injection of a virus that attacks pituitrin, which causes migraines. They have had no confirmation of success of their cure on humans, only animals, so there is uncertainty with their experiment. Macklin initially tells them that there is too much of a risk, and that too many people rely on him for him to take the risk. However, after some consideration, Macklin agrees to take the injection. Later on, Mitchell scolds Ferris after learning that he had released the story to the press, despite the results not being confirmed yet. They then receive a call from Macklin's wife, hsyterically accusing them of giving Macklin narcotics and claiming that he has been put under a trance. Ferris and Mitchell visit Macklin, where they meet a team of Army doctors and officials, and find Macklin to be in a mellow, relaxed state. The army doctor claims that Macklin is happy and healthy, but that the injection has caused him to become dumber due to a miscalculation. Ferris and Mitchell suggest fixing the issue by wiping out the virus, but Macklin refuses, not wanting to return to his previous state. They ask Mrs. Macklin, who wants to support her husband's best interests. The two suspect that she is jealous of Macklin's genius and wants to keep him subdued in his current condition. One night, Mitchell wakes and calls Macklin, asking him to come to his lab to fix him.


Question: Describe the setting of the story, which revolves around two scientists grappling with the implications of a groundbreaking medical experiment involving a renowned mathematician who suffers from debilitating headaches.

Answer:
The story begins with the two doctors, Ferris and Mitchell, discussing their research in a laboratory in the biology building. Macklin comes into their office to discuss their potential cure for headaches. It is in the office that Macklin agrees and is administered the experimental cure.

Later, Mitchell is angry at Ferris and goes to scold him in the laboratory. After they receive a concerning call from Macklin’s wife, the two examine their test animals kept in cages. With no significant revelations found, they head to Macklin’s house.

Macklin’s house is described as a traditional ranch style home. At the house, they see Macklin sitting in a very femininely decorated living room. Ferris, Mitchell, and the Colonel have discussions throughout the house about the possibility of a cure and how they might be able to get Macklin to take the cure. They leave the house without any success.

The next section of the story begins with Mitchell waking up in his bed where he suddenly calls Macklin in an attempt to lure him back to the laboratory.

Answer:
The story moves through two settings. At the beginning of the story, Mitchell and Ferris are in their lab on a university campus. The lab is situated in the biology building. There is a wooden desk and a chair. There are cages where they keep their animal test subjects.
The setting then moves to Macklin's house. It is a traditional, small ranch house, covered in aqua aluminium. There is a living room with an easy chair, covered in embroidery and a coffee table. There is a hallway outside the living room which leads to a dining room. In the dining room is a picture window.

Answer: Mitchell and Ferris’s office are in the biology building. There is a blond imitation wood desk in front of the chair in the office, which is connected to the laboratory. There is a work table and a folded paper on top of it. The room also has a telephone. There are cages of test animals, including a twin chimp and two rats. Macklin has is a small traditional ranch house in aqua-tinted aluminum. The door has a doorbell that rings. Inside, the living room is very feminine, it has a chair filled with embroidery. There is also a coffee table and a marble-effect carpet. And Macklin’s wife stands in the dining room area.

Answer: The first part of the story takes place in the office lab of Ferris and Mitchell, located on the campus of Firestone University. Their lab contains several cages of animals that they have experimented on, including chimps and rats. When the two receive news that their experiment has backfired, they visit Macklin at his ranch house, small but uniquely decorated in an overly feminine manner. The living room is covered in embroidery and has a marble carpet.


Question: Describe Elliot Macklin and his established health issues in the context of a story involving scientific experimentation and unexpected consequences?

Answer: It is well-known that Macklin succumbs to migraines from time to time in his life. Physically, Macklin is very fit and is regarded as having a built, athletic frame. However, internally he does suffer from various ailments. His migraine symptoms involve incorrectly substituting words with others, overstimulation of color and light between his eyes, and a concrete pain through his temples. In addition to the migraines, Macklin has a history of vascular spasms. He had even experienced a pseudo stroke in the past.

Answer: Elliot Macklin is a Doctor of science. He is renowned to be as intelligent as Albert Einstein. He is described as being in his fifties, yet having the appearance of one in his thirties. He created the Theory of Spatium. For the past seven years, Macklin has worked in the advanced studies department of Firestone university, creating a faster than light speed drive. It is believed that a number of years ago, he suffered a mild stroke. He has to deal with never-ending, terrible migraines every day. His health issues have been life threatening at times, something which Mrs Macklin uses to back up her argument to let her husband remain treated.

Answer: Elliot Macklin, the late Albert Einstein, has a great reputation as Mathematician and Scientist. The government even uses him as the symbol of Ideal Scientist. He has been involved in helping the Army reach Pluto and other stars. His headache is also well known. He has a record of chronic migraine, and had to be absent from classes. He had a mild stroke before. When he has headaches, the reputation and lavish salary do not really help.

Answer: Elliot Macklin is a genius mathematician and scientist in his fifties, though he looks much younger and has an athletic build. He is responsible for his Theory of Spatium and is aiding the Army in developing an expedition to Pluto. Despite his genius, Macklin had suffered a stroke to his cerebral artery. Because of this, Macklin periodically suffers with severe migraines, enough for him to not be able to function. The migraines also affect his speaking.


Question: Describe the experiment and the mechanisms of how it works in the context of a story involving scientists trying to cure a common ailment through an unconventional method.

Answer:
Ferris and Mitchell believe they have an injection that can cure headaches forever. They acknowledge during their initial discussion with Macklin that there is a potential risk with the injection, but they heavily downplay the risk. From their research, the two doctors believe that the over-production in the pituitary gland creates a pressure effect that constricts blood vessels in a section of the frontal lobe. Their injection is synthetically made that is meant to feed on the pituitrin that causes the pressure effect. They believe their virus is safe because it is able to target a specific area and remain stabilized within the brain cells.

After they give Macklin the injection, they later receive news that he has become a moron and is no longer a mathematical genius. The injection was successful in stopping the pain but in doing so it stopped the brain cells from functioning properly because the vessels cannot pump the necessary amount of blood through the brain to maintain an active and alert mind.

Answer: The experiment is used to try and eliminate headaches. Headaches are said to cause pressure to pituitrin in the brain. It is a constriction of blood vessels in the front of the brain. This is caused by an overproduction of the pituitary gland. The two men have created a virus that feeds on this pituitrin. The localised virus will relax the cerebral vessels, so that the cerebrospinal fluid won't create pressure in the cavities of the brain.

Answer: Since headaches are caused by over-productions of the pituitary gland, which will constrict the blood vessels leading to pressure differences in the brain. Because the virus created by them feeds on pituitrin, the pressure effect can be eliminated. The experiment is to inject the right amount of virus into the body so that the brain cells will relax the pressure effect. Moreover, since the virus can be easily localized and stabilized, it will only affect the cerebral vessels. Other cavities of the brain will not be effected. However, in reality, there is a miscalculation and the amount of control needed in stopping the pain is too much for the brain cells to still function properly.

Answer: The experiment that Ferris and Mitchell have come up with aims to cure headaches permanently. They plan to do so by targeting pituitrin, the main cause of constricting blood vessels that cause headaches. The cure is in the form of an injection containing a virus. This virus would feed on pituitrin and put an end to headache production. The virus can be stabilized, and is only designed to target the necessary vessels without interfering with other functions of the brain.


Question: In a story about scientists seeking to eliminate a common affliction, how do people react to the choice of using the cure?

Answer:
When Macklin overhears the possibility of receiving a cure to return him back to his previous state before the injection, he protests that he does not want to receive a cure. He does not want to reverse the injection because he remembers how awful the migraines were and refuses to return back to his original state where he has to experience them. He recollects how he was always worrying back then. He is perfectly content with living in a peaceful existence as he has all the money he could want and an attractive wife.

The Colonel is shocked at Macklin’s revelation and is upset when he realizes he cannot force Macklin to be cured. The Colonel, Ferris, and Mitchell go to Macklin’s wife to try to convince her to get him to be cured. The Colonel is desperate as he wants to use Macklin’s intelligence since it is such a great advantage for the country.

Macklin’s wife supports her husband’s decision because she recognizes the pain and suffering Macklin has experienced. She is glad that he can be peaceful and happy, even if he is childish.

Ferris seems unphased and is overall happy to celebrate that the injection did work to cure headaches. Mitchell still wants to attempt to convince Macklin to take the cure.

Answer: Each character in the story reacts differently to Macklin's choice to go through with Ferris and Mitchell's cure for migraines. Macklin himself is thrilled with the outcome. He is happy he no longer has the worries of his day to day life that he used to have. Now he can just lead a happy, healthy life with his wife. His wife feels the same way, but for more complicated reasons. She is addicted to controlling her husband, and she sees this as an opportunity to do this completely now, as he has the wits of a child. The colonel is enraged by the fact that the virus has turned Macklin's brain to mush. Macklin is the US government's biggest asset, and he fears what they will do if Macklin doesn't go back to the way he was. Mitchell is remorseful for what the virus has done to Macklin, and goes about finding a way to convince Macklin to reverse the effects. Ferris, while completely on board with the idea of returning Macklin to normal, is happy that the experiment was not a complete failure.

Answer: Macklin first reacted with a surprise. He take the pipe out from his mouth and is quite delight that he can stop taking the gynergen. However, after hearing that it has not been tested on humans, he believes that there are too much risk involved and refuses to take the injection. After they assure that there is practically no possibility of getting a low blood pressure to the point that the heart stops and along with another attack of the migraine, Macklin gives them permission to inject, immediately. Later Mrs. Macklin calls and blames them for giving his husband heroin, and orders them to make him better. But later, she does not want to go against Macklin’s wish of staying in the current state. Carson has always wanted Macklin to become normal again since the Army still need his intelligence. However, there is nothing he can do since Macklin is still in a legally responsible state.

Answer: Macklin is initially hesitant about receiving the cure, but eventually agrees to it out of desperation for his migraines to end. However, the rest of the people around him are not as receptive, especially once the side effects settle in causing Macklin to become less intelligent. Macklin's wife is in distress, convinced that Ferris and Mitchell have given him narcotics. The Army officers and doctors do not approve of the injection either, holding the two scientists responsible for any potential harm done to Macklin and demanding that they reverse it immediately. However, Macklin does not mind the effects of the cure, and prefers it to his old experiences.


Question: What is the plot of the story that involves a peculiar bank, an unusual job, and a mysterious relationship between a secretary and her boss?

Answer: Orison McCall is applying for a job at the William Howard Taft National Bank and Trust Company. She is a government spy who has been selected from the Treasury Department to work at the bank. The man who she meets for the job is Mr. Wanji, the First Vice President. He dresses strangely compared to the regular banker. Mr. Wanji also speaks to Orison in strange slang and leaves her with the job of reading newspapers into a microphone. She takes her lunch break at noon, eats a tuna salad on whole-wheat, and returns to reading at her desk until five. Orison gets the job and notes that the bank is very bizarre. All of the workers wear earmuffs, and her only task is to read into a microphone. After her dinner, she goes home and waits to receive a call from Washington. At eleven-thirty, she receives a call from Monitor J-12 from the Department of Treasury. He asks Orison for a report but flirts with her slightly by calling her beautiful and kissing the microphone. The next morning, the bank President Dink Gerding personally welcomes her. She notes that he is as crazy as the rest of the bank, and he asks her out for dinner even though they have just met. Once Orison begins reading a copy of yesterday’s Congressional Record, Auga Vingt silently comes and introduces herself. She threatens Orison to stay away from Dink, to which Orison agrees and tells her to leave. Then, Kraft Gerding introduces himself to her, and she threatens to quit because of how crazy this bank is. Orison then receives a call from Wanji, and he tells her to tell Dink that escudo green is pale. Although she is banned from taking the elevator to the upper floor, she takes the stairs to the seventh floor instead and is greeted by the sight of millions of spiders in pink liquid. Kraft threatens to toss her into the tank, but then Dink comes and rescues her. He crashes his fist into Kraft’s jaw, and the perpetrators leave him and Orison alone. He explains to her that the creatures are Microfabridae and are more closely related to shellfish than spiders. She holds one, and Dink says that the company is raising them in secret because it does not have a patent. He lets her listen to the hymn of the Microfabridae and feed the tiny creatures. Orison swears that she can see Benjamin Franklin winking at her, but she believes it is nonsense.

Answer: Orison is having an interview for the position of secretary in Taft Bank with its vice-president Mr. Wanji. The least is talking slang and wears furry earmuffs and a scarlet vest, not reminding a banker at all. Orison's job is to read into a microphone whatever she is given. After the first day, the new employee is feeling very confused with her tasks, her boss, everyone in the office wearing earmuffs and forbidden upper floors. Turns out she is to spy for Washington in this bank and she writes down her observations. Orison gets a food and a drink and heads home, waiting for a call from Washington. As she doesn't get it, she goes to bed and suddenly hears a voice.   They establish an every day time for the talks and Orison tell everything she saw. The person on the other end, J-12, flirts with her and hangs up. Next morning in the office orison meets the bank president, a handsome young man Dink Gerding. He praises her efforts and asks on a dinner that night. Later, an extravagant woman, Auga, comes in. She shortly warns orison against touching 'her' Dink, following it by serious threats. Right after Kraft Gerding, Dink's elder brother, comes to welcome Orison. He warns her against mixing work and pleasure as well, which makes Orison ask him to leave. Soon she gets a call from Mr. Wangi speaking a strange language. She decides to go up via stairway. On the seventh floor she finds a huge room full of tanks and sees green liquid with pink bubbles inside. The bubbles turn out to be millions of spiders and Orison screams rushing back. There she is captured by Kraft and two earmuffs, who ask about the reasons for her entering the room. Suddenly, Dink enters and frees her, he beats his brother, who knelt to Dink's rank, and everyone leaves except Orison and Dink. The least shows her Microfabridae and gives one to hold, explaining he is no spider, after Orison describes her intrusion as an act of curiosity. Dink embraces Orison and they listen for the singing of little creatures for a while, then they feed them and leave.

Answer:
The story talks about a spy named Miss Orison McCall, and her weird investigation object, the Taft Bank. In the beginning Orison tries to get a job in this bank. She is interviewed by the bank’s vice president, Mr. Wanji, who acts like a racetrack tout. Though Orison’s new job has a higher salary than the previous one, her job is very simple. She only has to read newspapers and fairy-tales to a microphone every day. After finishing a day of work at the Taft Bank, Orison reports what she saw to Washington. Since there has not been any calls, she decides to go to sleep. However, as she lies down, a radio in her pillow talks to her. She is surprised, but agrees to report to the pillow at 11:15 every day from then on. Easy work and high salary, suspicious earmuffs for some of the workers, restricted floors, they all make the bank seems oddly strange. The next day, Orison meets Mr. Dink Gerding who seems to have an interest in Orison and asks her out for dinner. Orison agrees. However, both Mr. Kraft, the elder brother of Dink, and Auga Vingt, who thinks that Dink is hers, warned Orison to keep a distance from Dink.

Later, Mr. Wanji calls Orison and wants her to bring a message to Dink. This gives Orison a vague excuse to explore the higher floors. Through a stairway, Orison goes to the 6th floor, but the door is locked. The door to the 7th floor is not. She pushes through the door and enters. She first thinks that she sees Benjamin Franklin. She got so scared that she screams. Then, mistakenly thinks that the Microfabridae are spiders, which Orison was afraid of, she screams again. Then, the appearance of Kraft and two other men with earmuffs make Orison unable to leave. Kraft threatens Orison. Luckily, Dink appears and saves her from the situation. Orison learns about Microfabridae, which are useful for a secret developing commercial process. Whereas, they are secretly fed by the bank because of the problem of patent.

Answer:
Orizon McCall has an interview with Vice-President, Mr. Wanji of the Taft National Bank and Trust Company for the new position of secretary in the company. He takes her inside the elevator of the building, where he tells her she is not to go past the fifth floor of the building. He takes her to her office on the fifth floor where she will be working. He tells her that her job is to read the paper, as well as different books into a microphone. It is then revealed that the real reason for Orizon's application for this position was to spy on the bank for the government. Mr. Wanji leaves her. Orizon reads into the microphone all morning, then breaks for lunch. She sees more men with earmuffs on the elevator, coming down from the upper floors. She comes back after lunch, and then heads home.
Orizon arrives home in her apartment, where she waits for Washington to call her, asking for an initial report. At eleven thirty, she decides to go to bed, after having not received any call. Just then, an invisible voice breaks out in the room. It is coming from her pillow, a speaker hiding in it. It belongs to Monitor J-12 from the agency, asking her if she has anything to report. She briefs him on her findings from the day. The next day, Orizon is back in her office, where she meets the president of the bank, Dink Gerding. He tells her she is to be his confidential secretary. He asks her out to dinner and dancing, which she accepts. He leaves, getting in the elevator. Orizon is visited by Kraft Gerding, Dink's older brother, who also warns her not to get involved with Dink.
Orizon continues to read, when half an hour later, she gets a call from Mr. Wanji. He tells her to pass on a message to Mr. Dink Gerding. She decides to use the excuse of passing on this message to Dink as a reason to explore the upper floors. She opens the door to an expansive room, flooded with light. There are steel tanks all around, filled with green fluid with tiny pink bubbles. She then realises that the pink bubbles are spiders. She screams, and backs into the arms of Kraft. His two men take her by the wrists. He threatens to throw her into the spider tanks if she doesn't tell him what she's doing there. She tells him she has a message for Dink. Dink enters the room, and the two men, including Dink's brother, drop to the floor. Dink goes to her, soothing her, then punches Kraft. He orders the three men to leave. He tells her that the spiders are not spiders at all. They are tiny frustrations called Microfabridae, who eat stone and metal. He tells her he can't explain what they do, as it's confidential. They listen as the tiny creatures sing.


Question: Describe the setting of the story, which features a peculiar bank with eccentric employees and a curious secret that involves unusual creatures and clandestine activities.

Answer:
The location is primarily set at the William Howard Taft National Bank and Trust Company. Orison’s office is on the fifth floor, and it is a tiny space just large enough to hold a single desk and two chairs. There is also a telephone, a microphone, and a double-decked basket. The basket is an “In” and “Out” basket for the papers she will read. There is also an elevator, and there are always operators in earmuffs present. Although she is not allowed onto the upper floors by elevator, the building has a staircase that leads up to the upper levels. The sixth floor is locked, but the seventh floor has a glass door that is painted black and a cellar-dark landing. Inside, there is a mass of fluorescent lamps on the ceiling and boarded shut windows. One hundred and eighty steel tanks line the floor. The tanks are half-full with greenish fluid and laced together by angel-hair, delicate white lattices sparkling with pink.

From the outside of the building, there is a stand-up counter down the street to eat. There is also a restaurant near Orison’s apartment called the Windsor Arms, where she grabs a meal and a single Martini. Her apartment is described as having a place to shower in and a bed. There is also a pillow, and it is where Monitor J-12 communicates with her.

Answer: The story starts in a cabinet in Taft Bank with Mr. Wanji, a weirdly dressed up for a banker man, talking to a new employee. Then the two move to the elevators with an operator wearing earmuffs similar to the ones Mr. Wanji has. They enter a tiny office with a single desk, a telephone and a microphone - Orison's new workplace. Later, she goes outside for lunch, meeting a couple more people with earmuffs on. her way from the office. She has lunch in a stand-up place down the street and returns to her tiny office. In the end of the day Orison heads home and stops in a restaurant for food and a drink. After she returns to her apartment waiting for a call from Washington. Home she hears a voice from an unknown monitor in her pillow. Next morning she comes to her office again and has a couple visitors. When they enter the elevator they all keep bowing making the atmosphere rather continental. She goes up through the stairway and enters a huge room on the seventh floor. There are a plenty of tanks and she sees green liquid with pink bubbles in one. The bubbles turn out to be spiders.

Answer: The story focuses on a strange bank which has a total of 14 floors including the basement. Apparently, people without earmuffs can only go to ground floor to fifth floor. Some people who have high ranks, like the President Mr. Dink Gerding and his elder brother Mr. Kraft Gerding can go to the higher floors. Also, this building has an elevator and a stairway. Different operators with earmuffs will be on duty in the elevator. The sixth floor cannot be visited by the stairway since it is locked, but the seventh floor can. On the seventh floor, the bank hides the Microfabridae for a developing commercial process.

Answer: The story is set in the William Howard Taft National Bank and Trust Company. Orizon is taken up to her office in a lift. Her office on on level five of the building. It is particularly small, having one single desk and two chairs. On the desk is a microphone. Adjacent to the microphone is a basket that is checked with "in" and "out". She gets off the elevator at the lobby to go for lunch. She eats lunch at the stand up counter down the street. She decides to explore the upper levels. When she arrives on level seven, she notices how dark it is. There is a glass door, painted black on the inside. The landing on the outside is pitch black. The huge room spread across the entire seventh floor, it's windows being worded shit. The ceiling is covered in fluorescent lamps. There are twelve rows on steel tanks, with nine tiers to each. Lacing between each tank are delicate strands of angel hair. There is a greenish fluid on each tank, with tiny pink bubbles.


Question: What are the Microfabridae, and what characteristics does their music possess in the context of the peculiar events surrounding a woman who takes a job at an unusual bank?

Answer:
The Microfabridae are tiny, flesh-pink-colored creatures that resemble shellfish. They are stone and metal eaters. These creatures are completely harmless and have six microscopic legs. Orison notices that they feel like a legged grain of sand, crisp and hard. She finds that it is similar to a baby crawdad, to which Dink agrees that the Microfabridae are similar to a sort of crustacean. The creatures also take a liking to gold.

When all of the Microfabridae sing together, it is a chorus of around twenty million voices. Orison notes that their singing sounds like the sighing of the wind in winter trees. When she listens to them sing again, it sounds like wilderness, storm, and danger. However, there also exists sounds of promises of peace and harbor that act as a counterpoint. She also hears the sound of waves and the crash of breakers against granite throughout this million-year-old song.

Answer: At first, Orison considers them pink bubbles, then. they remind spiders, turns out they are closer to shellfish. They are harmless because they eat stone and metal. They are used for commercial processes, though the bank doesn't have a patent for their use. While they are working, they sing, and their music seems the most beautiful in the world. They eat something like sand - the mineral fish food. They are kept in secret on the sixth floor and their job remain unknown, though it seems that Orison saw Benjamin Franklin in the liquid of their tanks.

Answer: Microfabridae are little pink creatures fed by the bank secretly on the 7th floor. The bank put them into tubs with greenish fluid. They are closer related to shellfish than to spiders, and they have six microscopic legs. Also, they feel crisp and hard to touch. Microfavridae are normally harmless, but when they discover calcium, stone or metal, especially gold, they will be attracted to eat it. When they work, they will sing together. When they are in the liquid, they will leap from the liquid like miniature porpoises to get food like sand in mid-air.

Answer: The Microfabridae are tiny little crustaceans that share a lot of the characteristics of spiders. They are small flesh coloured creatures that eat stone and metal. They are harmless to any living thing. The bank uses them in commercial processing. They have six, microscopic legs. Dink tells Orizon how they like gold, attracted to it by chemical tropism. Dink tells Orizon how the Microfabridae sing together while working. The theme of their music is of wildness, storm and danger, with counterpoints of peace and harbour. In their song Orizon can hear giant waves against granite rock. Behind this harshness, she can hear quiet tide pools. Dink tells her their song is ancient, they have been singing it for millions of years.


Question: Who is Dink Gerding, and what are his characteristics in a story that features a peculiar bank, a curious job, and unusual characters?

Answer: Dink Gerding is the eccentric president of the bank. He is a tall, handsome man, and Orison assumes that he is around twenty-eight the first time she meets him. He has an older brother named Kraft, but he is higher in power than his brother. When Dink first meets Orison, he is courteous and personally welcomes her to the office. However, he is also rather confident. Dink casually asks her out for dinner despite never meeting her before, and he even offers to dance. However, it is noted that Dink has some form of military experience as a soldier. His shoulders are square, and the crisp clicking of his steps is similar to a military metronome. Nevertheless, Dink is protective of Orison; this is especially shown during the confrontation with his brother. He is also gentle to her around the Microfabridae and is extremely happy when she takes an interest in holding one.

Answer: Dink Gerding is the president of Taft Bank. He is a tall handsome man, he is young and full of grace. He is confident and direct as he almost immediately asks Orison on a date, being very convincing. He has muscles and European manners. He also has some connection to military, probably a former soldier. He doesn't look like a bank president, he is respected by everyone and his appearance impresses Orison deeply. Dink is also the highest in rank, which is why everyone bows to him - they have some sort of hierarchy. Even his elder brother kneels to him and has to obey. Dink is rather mild, he saves Orison from his brother and tells as much as he could about the secret Microfabridae.

Answer: Mr. Dink Gerding is the President of the bank, who has the highest rank. He does not wear earmuffs. To Orison’s mind, he is a handsome, tall, good-mannered and straightforward man. When Orison first meets him, Dink acts like a solider, such as his crisp clicking steps. Also, he does not hide his interest on Orison. Though they just meet and introduced themselves to each other, Dink directly asks Orison out for a dinner together.

Answer: Dink Gerding is the president of the bank where Orizon is spying on. He is a handsome, gentlemanly fellow, who walks with a very purposeful stride, his leather heels clicking as he walks. He bows at Orizon when they first meet, showing his old fashioned manners, something Orizon thinks he must've picked up in Europe, or perhaps more likely, the military. He looks to be around twenty eight, and very tall. Orizon notices how "kooky" he is due to his demeanour. He asks her to call him Dink instead of "Sir", unusual for a boss who has never met his employee. He then shows his forwardness by asking her out immediately. Later, when Orzion is being threatened by Kraft, Dink comes to her rescue. He holds Orizon, punching Kraft in the face, showing his chivalry. He is understanding when Orizon explains why she is on the upper floors, and shows his kindness when he helps her get over her fear of the Microfabridae.


Question: Who is Mr. Wanji, and what are his characteristics in the context of a peculiar bank environment where unusual methods and characters abound?

Answer: Mr. Wanji is the Vice-President of the bank and the first person Orison meets. His fashion choice is not the same as a public picture banker. When she first applies for her job, he wears a hound’s-tooth check suit and a scarlet vest. He also wears a pair of furry green earmuffs even though it is not cold. To top off his outfit, he matches it with a pair of rough-leather desert boots. Orison does not know his ethnicity, but she guesses if he is Oriental based on his name. He speaks strangely too, and Orison finds herself unable to understand him unless he says in plain English. It is a very casual form of speech with lots of slang mixed in. Later, when he calls Orison, he speaks in a completely different language. Mr. Wanji is loud and carefree, as he did not hesitate to give Orison more money than supposedly her last job paid. When she asks him about tax numbers and social security information, he waves it off as if it is nothing. He is very carefree, too, sending Orison to deliver a message to Dink when she is supposed not ever be allowed to the upper floors.

Answer: Mr. Wanji is the vice-president of Taft Bank. He is dressed up in a weird way, nothing like a banker - scarlet vest, hound's-tooth suit, furry green earmuffs. He talks in some sort of a jargon and doesn't want to bother himself with additional tasks, he is rather relaxed. He talks some strange unknown language with other workers. Dink considers him careless. He seems not strict and indifferent, his talk is emotional and contented, overall he seems funny.

Answer: Mr. Wanji is the First Vice-President of the William Howard Taft National Bank and Trust Company. He is also the one who interviews Miss Orison McCall and gives her the job of reading newspapers and story books. He is an energetic man who talks like a racetrack tout. Also, Mr. Wanji does not like to deal with small details, so he gives Orison much freedom to decide things like lunch union, withholding tax, and social security. He is careless as well. He called Orison by mistake, so he directly let Orison to tell Dink a message. But he does not tell her where to find Dink, which gave Orison a vague excuse to explore the upper floors that she is restricted to enter.

Answer: Mr. Wanji is the Vice President of William Howard Taft National Bank and Trust Company. He is very unusual in the way he dresses. The way he speaks is even more peculiar, it being something like English, but not quite, almost like he speaks in code. He calls Orizon ``baby", noting how attractive she is, obviously showing his built in misogyny through his objectification of a female employee. He then later calls Orizon, once again speaking in even stranger code, asking her to relay a message to Dink. He is a very mysterious and zany character.


Question: What is the plot of the story that involves a mysterious character and a series of strange occurrences in a small town?

Answer:
With pressure coming from Fred, who elected him into this investigation, Tremaine first goes to the police station to meet his friend who works here so that he can get familiar with the town and learn about unusual activities and strange events if there are any. Jess, the police officer, is surprised to see Tremaine coming back to this town. Tremaine asks Jess if he has any idea of a transmitter in this area, however, Jess does not seem really interested in the transmitters as he think drawing is a beer advertisement. Afterwards, Jess tells Tremaine about the old man Bram who seems to have lived in this town forever. He is the mystery man of the town. As a foreigner who no one knows much about, he seems strange. Knowing that Bram has lived on the same property since as long as anyone could remember, he goes to the Municipal Office of Records to check the last time that there was a change of hands on Bram’s property.

Then Tremaine goes to the Elsby Public Library, checking for the newspapers around the time when Bram bought the property. On his way back to the hotel that he is staying at, he notices Grammond’s men. But Tremaine has told Grammond to keep his men away from this town for now. Apparently, Grammond didn’t listen, Tremaine is afraid that with the police searching around the town, the person they are looking for will sense that something is off, and will hide before they are able to find him/her.

Desiring to learn more about this old man, Jess has also mentioned to Tremaine that Linda Carroll had been with Bram for a while when Carroll was in her twenties, which is a few decades ago. So then Tremaine goes to Carroll’s house hoping to learn more about the mysterious man Bram. Then after he left Carroll’s house, he goes to Bram’s house together with Jess. Shots were fired, the house is empty, but Bram is not there. They go straight to Hull Gaskin to ask questions since he did set fire on Bram’s place before.

Answer: Tremaine, a former hyperwave lab worker, dials Washington from a hotel room in his old hometown. On the other end Fred, an appointive official, is impatiently waiting for Tremaine to catch the transmitter who intervened with their Top Secret project. Jimmy Tremaine visits an old acquaintance Jess in a local police department, the former shares details of his secret mission and asks whether Jess has any idea who can be the transmitter. Jess says everyone around is bad with technologies, but Mr. Bram is a mystery man, so it could be him. The man is a foreigner but he has been living in the town for so long that no one knows when and where he came from. Not long ago his house was set on fire by a bunch of kids, nothing serious. Jess tells a story about the past: a local beauty by then, Miss Carol, wanted nothing to do with locals and set her trap for Mr. Bram. They left a party together and the next morning she was back alone. Her reputation was destroyed, she never married and now works as a teacher. Tremaine heads towards the Elsby Town Hall, he learns that Bram bought his property in 1901. Then in the local public library he finds an article concerning this purchase, then he sees an article of July 7, 1900 regarding a severe thunderstorm. Near the hotel he notices a car and heads after the police to ask Grammond, the chief, to keep the police away from the hotel so as not to scare off the intermitter. Grammond is offended by being kept ignorant. Further, Jimmy heads to Miss Carol's and asks questions about Mr. Bram, she can't answer them for sure and a tear drops from her eye. Soon, she decides to tell about the night at Bram's place back in the years : he told he fought evil every night, went downstairs for the whole night and left her alone. Then he gave her a locket and said to press in a particular way if he is ever needed. Miss Carol considered him crazy and never met me again. She says Bram fears thunder and gives Jimmy the locket. Jess picks Jimmy up to look for Bram who hasn't shown up recently. The two enter the deserted house with Tremaine's gun, they see blood in the kitchen making up a trail. They go back to talk to Hull, a boy who set Bram's house on fire recently. Turns out he considered Bram a spy as he is a foreigner and a communist, and the boy heard the boys were looking for spies.

Answer: Jimmy Tremaine works for the government, conducting a secret operation about implementing hyperwaves in the military. An interfering transmission had recently been detected tampering with the hyperwaves, and when tracked down, the source seems to come from Elsby, Tremaine's hometown. Fred, Tremaine's superior, orders Tremaine to figure out where the transmission is coming from before he interferes his own way. Tremaine visits Elsby's police station, where he meets Jess. Tremaine tells Jess about the transmission and asks if he has any ideas or leads on the situation. Jess is stumped, but notes that Mr. Bram is an odd character at Elsby, who has been there for an unusually long amount of time. Curious about Mr. Bram, Tremaine goes to the Office of Record, where he bribes the man at the counter to tell him the year that Mr. Bram purchased his home, which is revealed to be 1901. The clerk also tells Tremaine that no one has seen Bram between sundown and sunup. Tremaine then visits the library, where he finds an article about Bram purchasing the house, as well as an account of a thunderstorm that occurred there a year before the purchase. On his way back from the library, Tremaine sees a police car speeding off, and he follows. He gets in contact with the State Police Chief, who does not approve of being left out of Tremaine's investigation. Tremaine speaks to Miss Carroll, known to have had a history with Bram. She tells Tremaine about her encounter with Bram and how he kept her in a cave under his house for the night, and she never spoke to him again. She also tells Tremaine that Bram is afraid of thunder. As Tremaine walks back to his room, Jess finds him and asks how the investigation is going, and Tremaine replies that he is stumped. Jess suggests that they visit Bram's house together, and the two enter and see an empty gun shell. They find blood in the kitchen. Jess and Tremaine then visit a police station where they find Hull Gaskin, who admits to shooting Bram after some cops prompted him to help catch spies.

Answer:
Tremaine calls Fred from his hotel room and gives him an update on his progress. Fred expresses his frustration with the progress and complains that General Margrave has been breathing down his neck about the case. Tremaine tells Fred to be confident in him and Fred ends by yelling that he wants the transmitter and for someone to pay. Tremaine eventually leaves his hotel room and heads towards the local police station. At the station, Tremaine greets Jess once he enters the building. The two go to have a private conversation where Tremaine tries to get Jess’s help with a case. Jess tells Tremaine what he knows about Bram from what he’s heard and what he’s seen. It is clear that Bram lives a very private life.

Once his conversation with Jess finishes, Tremaine goes to the Municipal office of Records at the town hall. He has to bribe a reluctant man in the office to let him look for the information that he needs. He is able to find out information about Bram’s property and then leaves to go to the library to gather more information. At the library, Tremaine looks through old newspapers. He learns from one newspaper about a severe thunderstorm that affected the Bram property.

Back at his hotel room, Tremaine has a tense phone call with Fred. When it ends, he pours himself a glass of scotch. After finishing his drink, he goes to Miss Carroll’s nearby house Tremaine asks her about Bram. She is unable to give him many details about Bram. However, Miss Carroll does willingly detail her personal relationship with Bram. Carroll mentions that Bram gave her a locket and to use it to contact him if she ever needed his help. Tremaine asks for the locket and she hands it over to him. She mentions that she remembers how Bram was afraid of thunder. With all the information that he could gather from Miss Carroll, Tremaine leaves her house.

Upon leaving Miss Carroll’s house, Jess pulls up to Tremaine on the street in his car and they decide to go check on Bram as he hasn’t been seen in a while. The two get out of their car once they reach the property and inspect the outside of the house. They become alert by the suspicious state of the house, especially because of the empty shotgun shell that they find, so they retrieve a gun from the car for their safety. They start hearing strange noises once they enter the house, causing them both to become uneasy. Inside the kitchen, they spot a suspicious trail of blood and hear another strange sound. They decide to go to the police station to ask Hull Gaskin – one of the teens arrested for setting fire to Bram’s property- some questions. Hull says that he was approached by cops asking him to help them find spies. He says he told them about Bram because he’s a foreigner.


Question: What information has Tremaine gathered about a mysterious figure named Bram, who has a peculiar history in a small town?

Answer:
Tremaine learns from Jess that Bram is the mystery man of the Elsby town. He is a foreigner to the town despite the fact that he has similar appearances as the rest of the town. People do not know where he is from, when he started living in the town, and not even his full name, but there are still many conspiracies about him. The clerk at the Municipal Office of Record is confident that Bram has never been seen between sundown and sunup. He also tells Tremaine that the property that Bram currently lives on was purchased by him in 1901. Tremaine learns from the newspapers that the same property was accidentally caught on fire from a thunderstorm about a year before the transaction was made between Bram and J. P. Spivey. Interestingly, from Jess, Tremaine also learns that Hull and his friends started a fire on Bram’s place some time ago.

Tremaine acknowledged the relationship between the young Bram and young Linda Carroll. Carroll explains to Tremaine how he told her that there is a cave beneath his house. And every night he has to fight evil beings that are right below his house. He went downstairs for the night and by the time he came up, it was dawn. Later, he handed her a locket which allows her to ask him to come simply by pressing it in a certain way. Moreover, Carroll tells Tremaine that he is afraid of thunder. Furthermore, after Bram has gone missing, Tremaine learns from Hull that Bram is a Commie.

Answer: Mr. Bram is a foreigner which is rare in the town. He came such a long time ago that no one knows when and where from. From the record, Tremaine finds out Bram bought his house soon after his arrival in the year 1901, so he should be in his nineties now. A year before the purchase a severe thunderstorm took place. Bram is never seen at night. He is a mystic figure and there are legends about his house. He courted Miss Carol, who is an unmarried old lady. He told her he fought evil every night in his house downstairs. She also says he is afraid of thunder. He gave her a locket to touch in a particular way to call him and she considers him crazy. Local boys consider him a spy and a communist. Now he disappeared.

Answer: Bram remains a mystery is Elsby, but Tremaine has gathered some information about him. Jess tells him that Bram has been at Elsby for a long time, and has outlived some residents abnormally. The clerk at the Record Office helps Tremaine gather more information about Bram's house, and tells Tremaine that Bram has never been spotted overnight. Miss Carroll tells Tremaine about her encounter with Bram, and also tells him that he is afraid of thunder.

Answer:
Tremaine gathers different information from different people throughout the story. From Jess, Tremaine gathers information about Bram’s routines. According to Jess, Bram comes into town about once a week to buy his groceries, specifically on Wednesdays. It’s not known where Bram is from but it is assumed that he is a foreigner. Jess tells Tremaine that recently some delinquent kids set Bram’s place on fire and Bram has not been seen since the incident.

From the worker at the Municipal Office of Record, he finds out when Bram bought his property. The clerk continues to tell him some rumors about Bram, such as Bram’s place supposedly being haunted and having money buried on the property.

At the library, Tremaine is able to learn more information about Bram from old newspapers. He learns who originally owned the property and how Bram was a newcomer to the area.


Question: What is the relationship between Bram and Carroll, two figures intertwined in a tale of mystery and local lore?

Answer: From Jess, Tremaine learns that the school teacher, Linda Carroll had a relationship with Bram while they were young. Carroll’s family is quite wealthy and she was very beautiful. People in the town was not really up to her standards. Bram is a foreigner and does not really like social events. However, apparently, Carroll went off together with Bram one day afternoon with almost the whole town there. Then the next day Bram was not by her side, she came back by herself. This made her reputation really bad and she could not even be hired as a teacher for 10 years afterwards. From Carroll, Tremaine learns another story. She seems to not know Bram well. She confirms that she and Bram was in a relationship. And after Bram invited her to his place one day, he explains that he has to fight evil beings below his house every night. After they arrived at his house, she was left in the carriage for the whole night while he was below the house until dawn. Thus she decided to not talk to him when him came to see her in the carriage again. He gave her a locket where a pattern of tapping would allow him to get to her if she ever needs him. Interestingly, she also tells Tremaine that Bram is afraid of the thunder.

Answer: Back in the years, when Carol was in her twenties and Bram a couple years older, he courted her. She was the prettiest young lady in town, unmarried as all locals were too good for her. She was determined to get this foreigner and even made a plan. He was a handsome young man, not a social type of a person, but he was somehow dragged to a shiny. He left together with Carol in the evening, took her to his house and scared her on the way. He talked about fighting evil every night and some other crazy things and disappeared downstairs. She waited outside the whole night and was scared of his madness, she had no intention of listening to him. He gave her a locket which would summon him if used in the right way. They never met again. The memories are still painful for Carol, her reputation was destroyed and she stayed unmarried.

Answer: In the past, Bram and Carroll had pursued a romantic relationship. He had courted her and taken her to his house, where he scared her by telling her that he fights with evil beings in his house and then locking her beneath the kitchen. The next morning, Bram gave Carroll a locket to keep. Carroll refused to speak to Bram again, telling him that he needed to seek a doctor. The two had not spoken since, but it is revealed that Carroll kept the locket Bram had given her since.

Answer:
Jess tells Tremaine how something romantic happened between Carroll and Bram. However, from his knowledge, it did not end well and Carroll’s reputation was ruined from the events.

From Miss Carroll’s own words, she says that her experience with Bram was a bad one. He took her out on a date but began to act strange and talking as if he was crazy. He disappeared, running down a set of stays. Meanwhile, she stayed alone in the car all night. In the morning when he reappeared, she refused to speak with him and told him she would not associate with him until he got help.


Question: What is the relationship between Tremaine and Jess, considering their shared history and current circumstances in a town filled with mystery and intrigue?

Answer: Jess is a police officer at the Elsby town where both Jess and Tremaine grew up. They have not seen each other in a very long time. Jess is surprised to see Tremaine showing up at Elsby again after being away for such a long time. Tremaine has explained to Jess that he is here to figure out the location of a transmitter. While Jess does not seem to be interested in the transmitters, he tells Tremaine about Bram. He explains to him that Bram is quite mysterious, which lead Tremaine to investigate on Bram’s properties. He informs Tremaine about Bram’s relationship with Linda Carroll, and then Tremaine pays her a visit and asks about Bram. Tremaine asks Jess to not tell anyone what they’ve discussed, but pretend that he is a tourist. Later, Jess asks Tremaine to find Bram together after pulling a car next to him on the street. Realizing that Bram is not home and the house seemed suspicious with blood and shotgun shell, they go to question Hull who is being held at the police station. Since Jess works at the police station, he can easily have Tremaine ask Hull questions.

Answer: The two used to live in the same town - Elsby. They share some childhood memories. They haven't seen each other for so long that Jess doesn't even recognize Jimmy at first. Their communication is friendly though they don't seem to have been close friends. Jess is older and he still lives in the town so he knows much more about it. Jimmy trusts him enough to tell about his secret mission, he believes Jess. can help. They cooperate throughout the story and help each other - Jess tells curious stories that may help, Jimmy accompanies him to the dark house with a gun. Jess has being hearing about Jimmy's work for the government these years.

Answer: Tremaine, having grown up in Elsby, has a history with Jess, but Jess does not recognize him right away due to the amount of time that has passed. However, the two hit it off again automatically, and have a trusting relationship to each other. They act as partners, and Tremaine fills Jess in on his mission. Jess gives Tremaine any possible information, eager to help him. The two also have a candid relationship, shown when Jess asks Tremaine why the state police is not allowed to interfere with the investigation.

Answer: Jess is a police officer. When Jess reminds him who he is, it appears that the two have a friendly relationship where they have known each other for a while. They appear to be familiar with each other. They are probably friends as Jesses uses the nickname Jimmy when referring to Tremaine. Later in the story, Jess helps Tremaine search Bram’s property. It shows that they have a close relationship and that Tremaine trusts Jess. Tremaine is very private about the case and does not want many people to know his intentions in town, but he willingly tells Jess because he trusts him.


Question: Describe the setting of the story, which involves a mysterious figure in a small town dealing with strange occurrences and past connections?

Answer: The story takes place in the late twentieth century in a town in America named Elsby. It starts out in Tremaine’s hotel room, after he is pressured, he goes to Elsby Municipal Police to find Jess. We follow Tremaine to the Municipal Office of Record and the Elsby Public Library to find out more information regarding the property that Bram owns currently, the mystery man in the town. Then he visits Linda Carroll’s house to learn more about Bram, but she does not seem to know much either. Later we follow Jess and Tremaine to Bram’s house since Jess is concerned that he still have not seen Bram. At Bram’s house, they do not find him, but there is blood and other suspicious objects. They believe that they have to find Hull in the police station. The story ends with Hull, Jess and Tremaine inside the police station at where Hull is being held.

Answer: The story begins in a room at the Elsby Commercial Town. A secret phone call takes place there. From the hotel Tremaine goes to the nearby municipal police. A huge policeman is sitting there behind the counter. The two move to the back room to talk. From there the main character heads toward the Elsby Town Hall, a squat brick building. Up the steps and behind the double-doors there is a dim corridor leading to "municipal office of record". There is a man over the counter who finds the data in a huge old book put on the table. In the late-afternoon Tremaine goes to the Public Library, where a paper-dry woman shows him the requested old newspapers from the shelves, they are to be handled carefully. Jimmy returns to the hotel, takes his car and follows the police past the Elsby city limits. He returns to his room and makes a call. Then he pays a visit to Miss Carol in her old mansion. Tremaine enters a pleasant parlor with old furniture. Jess picks him up and they drive to Mr. Bram's house. The place looks dark and dangerous, it looks as if it was empty for a week or so. Yelps and wails are heard from time to time, there is a trace of blood in the kitchen. The two return to the station and visit Hull's cell.

Answer: The story takes place in Elsby, a small, old town where a mysterious transmission has been detected. The story opens at Elsby Commercial Hotel, where Tremaine stays. Then, he visits multiple buildings throughout. The first place Tremaine visits is the police station, then the office of record, then the library. The buildings are described as run-down and discolored, indicative of their age. Tremaine then visits Miss Carroll's place, a large mansion with overgrown vines. Finally, Jess and Tremaine investigate Bram's house, a dark, abandoned-looking house.

Answer:
The story begins with Tremaine in his hotel room at the Elsby Commercial hotel. Tremaine leaves the hotel room and walks along Commerce Street towards the Elsby Municipal Police building. After talking with Jess at the police station, Tremaine leaves and heads towards the Municipal Office of Record.

After finding out some information about Bram’s property at the Municipal Office of Record, Tremaine leaves to go to the library. It is not late in the afternoon. Once the library is closing, Tremaine leaves the building. When he’s outside, he bundles himself up in reaction to the cold weather. He heads back to his hotel but suddenly stops when a car speeds past him. He begins to run after the car until he gets to his own and then chases after the car in his car. After catching up with the car and finding out its purpose, he returns to his hotel room.

After having a tense conversation with Fred on the phone, he again leaves his hotel room and walks outside. He walks through old houses until he comes upon a large, three-stories structure and enters its front gate. It’s Miss Carroll’s house. She lets him in and invites him to sit down in her leaving room.

Tremaine gathered as much information as he could about Bram from Miss Carroll and then leaves her house. When he walks outside, he notices a car pulling up and it stops by him. It’s Jess driving the car. They both then go to Bram’s property to inspect it themselves. They get to Bram’s property and when inspecting the outside of the house, they find an empty shotgun shell. After retrieving a gun from Jess’s car, they enter Bram’s house. They spot a trail of blood in the kitchen. While inspecting the house, they hear a lot of strange noises. Wanting to learn more information, they go to the jail to talk with one of the teenagers arrested for setting fire on Bram’s property.


Question: What is the plot of the story involving a character's quest on a distant planet where he encounters numerous individuals sharing the same name?

Answer: Major Polk is given orders by his Boss, Colonel Walsh, to go to Venus in search of a man named Joe. Mars is in open revolt against the Colonel and the system that he runs, and Walsh tells Polk that there is a man on Venus who will be able to solve the problem of the revolt, as he spent time on Mars, and knows the natives. The Major and the Colonel hate each other, and it's clear from the get-go that the Colonel is setting the Major up for a trap. He tells Polk that the man's name is Joe, and that he has an affinity for Terran cigarettes. The Major travels to Venus to find this man, and complete the mission. When he arrives though, it becomes clear to him soon that every native Venusian is named Joe, and they all love cigarettes. Polk calls the Major from the office on Venus, asking for extra information, but the Colonel gives none. He has screwed him. The Major decides to look for this man regardless, as returning to Earth without having completed the mission could mean a demotion or a loss of job. He hires a guide to take him through the jungle terrain of Venus, obviously named Joe. As they spend weeks traveling through the jungle together they quickly become friends. They stop at various villages together, where they meet the locals, they chat on their walks and the Major tells Joe all about his past. After a few weeks, they arrive at a village, where a starship and the Colonel are waiting for them. He has a gun pointer and Polk, informing him he plans on killing him, because Polk ratted on Walsh when they were in the academy together about dozing off while he was on watch over a tank filled with uranium. Just before he goes to shoot the Major, he starts insulting the locals of Mars, and then natives in general. Joe becomes visibly upset. The story ends, and it's presumed that Joe will save the Major.

Answer: Colonel Walsh has appointed Major Polk for a mission on Venus. The two hate each other strongly due to a history at the Academy and Walsh's totalitarian nature towards natives on Mars. The Colonel tells Major Polk that he is to find a specific Venusian native named Joe, who is experienced in trading and loves cigarettes. Major Polk arrives on Mars and immediately meets a Venusian named Joe, but he soon realizes that it is not the man in question. The Major goes into the Officer's Club, where the Venusian bartender is also named Joe. Perplexed, the Major realizes that every native on Venus is named Joe. He meets with Captain Bransten, who tells him that since becoming in contact with Terran men, the Venusians had picked up their mannerisms and behaviors, including their love for cigarettes. Major Polk realizes that the Colonel has sent him on a goose chase, in impossible search of a man. Major Polk calls the Colonel, who smugly assures him that he can find the man in the jungle. The Major decides to play along with Walsh's trick and find a man for the mission. He meets a Venusian tour guide to take him through the jungle, who he gradually befriends as they visit several villages. With still no luck finding the right Joe, Major Polk soon encounters Walsh aboard his ship flying above him. Walsh tells Polk that he will kill him, recalling the time Polk reported him at the Academy. He then expresses his frustration with dealing with the natives on Mars.

Answer:
The story begins with the Major being told by Colonel Walsh that he is going to be sent to find a man on Venus. The Colonel says that the man is a Venusian native that holds very valuable information about Mars. He says the man is named Joe and that he likes cigarettes. The Major tries to gather more information but the Colonel only gives him vague answers with a grin on his face. So, with his orders, the Major heads to Venus. When he steps off the ship, he is greeted by a man named Joe. He is shocked because he initially believes it could be the Joe he needs. However, he soon realizes that it is not the correct Joe and asks to be directed to the Officer’s Club. Once he gets inside and goes to the bar, the bartender introduces himself as Joe.

The Major realizes that Walsh played a trick on him. He’s upset at Walsh for sending him on a petty, retaliatory trip. Frustrated, he heads to the Captain’s shack, where he asks why everyone is named Joe. The Captain chuckles in response and replies that it’s an unoriginal culture. Joe grows angry upon learning this. He’s taken to his sleeping quarters after the meeting. He calls the Colonel and asks for more information on the Joe he’s meant to find. The Colonel finds amusement knowing that Polk has realized his predicament. All the Colonel offers up to the Major is that Joe is somewhere in the jungle. In response, he asks for a guide to take him. As he’s waiting, he thinks of the Colonel’s intentions and how he should respond. The Major decides to go along with the trip and do his best. Once he meets his guide, they head off through the jungle.

His guide takes him through the jungle, proving to be helpful and useful. They find themselves going from village to village with days turning into weeks spent in the jungle searching for a specific Joe. Joe smiles at some of the Major’s complaints of the tedious nature of the journey in an unusual way during their journey. They eventually reach another village and Joe smiles very wide when he delivers the news to Major Polk. The Major notices that there are no natives in the new village. He sees the Colonel standing near a ship with a stun gun pointed at him. It also seems like Joe knew that the Colonel would be there. Walsh tells the Major that he is going to kill him. As they tensely converse with each other, Joe chuckles and is excited with glee during the conversation. However, when Mars is mentioned, Joe stops being excited and a frown starts to form on his face. Walsh begins to shout hateful words about natives when he realizes that Joe is a native. Joe changes his attitude and looks at the Colonel in confusion.

Answer: The story starts with Colonel Walsh assigning Major Polk the job of finding a man named Joe on Venus to help them with the revolt on Mars. Despite the fact that he has never been to Venus and Venus is not even in their jurisdiction, Colonel Walsh calls it a simple assignment and asks the Major to travel to Venus. After arriving on Venus, he immediately encounters a boy called Joe. However, this Joe is not the person that he is looking for. Before reporting to Captain Bransten, the Major decides to stop for a drink. He asks Joe to take him there. Somehow, this Joe realizes that the Major is new to this place after he tips him. After arriving at the bar, he meets two more Joes talking to each other, calling each other Joe. Neither is the one that the Major needs to find. Later, he learns from the Captain that the name Joe is just a culture here on Venus, and the natives all like cigarettes. This makes the Major furious since those are two of the few characteristics provided by Colonel Walsh. After chow, the Major calls Walsh, who is on Earth. After getting the information that this Joe is in the jungle, he asks a Joe to find him a guide for going into the jungle. Then, Major begins to realize that maybe Colonel Walsh didn’t want him back since he is the next in line for command. He decides to be more careful. Following the guide, the Major walks from village to village, searching the natives for that particular Joe. The Major and the guide get close and become friend. However, the next village they visit does not have any natives, only Colonel Walsh. And Colonel is there to kill the Major.


Question: Why do the Colonel and the Major have such animosity toward each other in their quest involving a mysterious figure on an unfamiliar planet?

Answer: The Colonel and the Major seemed as if they were acquaintances before they first fell out. The Colonel had called the Major, by his first name, Fred. Now, he only calls him Major, as a mark of disrespect, since the colonel somehow outranks him. The Colonel also demands that Polk use his proper title, as a way of putting him down. They initially fell out because one night, while the Colonel was supposed to be on boiled watch, guarding the uranium in a tank beneath the barracks, he fell asleep on duty. The entire barracks could've been blown up. The Major had to report him to their superiors. This meant that the colonel's career took a big hit, and he had to fight his way back into the ranks. He felt as if the Major betrayed him, and ratted him out. Now, the Colonel is in charge of Mars, where he has caused a revolt based on his shocking treatment of the natives. His prejudice towards the native people of Venus and Mars is another reason the Major hates him.

Answer: The Colonel and the Major attended the Academy together, and the two have despised each other since. At the Academy, Major Polk had reported the Colonel for falling asleep on duty, risking severe damage. Major Polk also holds reservations about the Colonel because of Walsh's treatment of natives, specifically on Mars after conquering the planet. He understands why there is a revolt against Walsh on Mars, given the way he degrades its natives. Colonel Walsh still holds reservations towards Major Polk since he reported him.

Answer:
Colonel Walsh and Major Polk have hated each other ever since they both went through the Academy at the same time. The Major does not like Walsh’s attitude towards natives, especially how he treats them. From this, it is able to be discerned that Walsh has a very unfavorable attitude towards natives and regularly insults or hurts them. He also does not believe that the Colonel is understanding the severity of the current military situation. The Major also believes that Walsh does a bad job of managing the planet. The hatred that the Colonel has towards the Major is because the Major reported him for sleeping on the job while they were both at the Academy. The Major defends his reporting of the Colonel by arguing that the Colonel was supposed to be watching a uranium supply that was very dangerous and could have killed many people.

The Colonel appears to be threatened by the Major because he would be next in line of command if the Colonel is ousted from his position. The Colonel acknowledges that he is possibly failing at his job with the Mars issue and does not want to be demoted and for Major Polk to take over his job.

Answer: The Major and Colonel were in the same Academy. But one time, the Colonel fell asleep on Boiler Watch. There was a pile of uranium that could’ve blown up the whole Academy. When the Major caught this he reported him. But apparently, the Colonel still thinks that it is the Major’s fault for reporting him. The Major also dislikes the way that the Colonel treats the natives. He calls them savages. The Colonel sends the Major to Venus and tells him a non-description of a man that he needs to find. This annoys the Major. He gets angry especially when he finds out that the description is completely useless since every man here names Joe and likes cigarette. The Colonel actually sends the Major here to kill him.


Question: What is the main setting of the story involving a character named Joe and a military officer's assignment on a planet with a unique culture?

Answer: The main setting of the story is the planet Venus. The planet is described as being extremely hot, and having the scent of an old shoe and after shave. There are plants everywhere, of all sizes and varieties, some with strange and wonderful flowers. There is a station for Space II, which includes The Officers Club: a small shack which functions as a bar, and The Captain's Shack. The world is covered in thick jungle, which is impossible to orient unless you're a local. The floor of the jungle is filled with sharp undergrowth that would shred your feet. In the jungle are little hidden pathways that lead to small villages, where native Venusians live.

Answer: The story mainly takes place on the planet Venus, its climate primarily consisting of thick jungles and rainforests. Major Polk describes the planet as very hot with a strange smell, with unfamiliar plants. The natives on Venus are tall, blue, human looking figures. Major Polk first visits the Officer's Club, a tiny hut. Later in the story, Major Polk is guided through the jungles of Venus by Joe, which are described as impenetrable and humid.

Answer: The story begins on Earth. Major Polk is at the Patrol Station in Area Two on Earth to meet with the Colonel. Major Polk is assigned to find a man on Venus by the Colonel. So, he heads to Venus. The Major describes the planet as incredibly hot and uncomfortable. It also has a smell that isn’t easily discernible. There are large and small plants with unusual flowers dotted all over the place. The first place that the Major goes to on Venus is the Officer’s Club, a hut with window shields meant to protect from the heat. Nevertheless, the place was still very hot inside. Inside there were some seating, basic bar games, and the bar where a Venusian bartender stood. Once he leaves the bar, he heads to the Captain’s shack to find more information on the situation. Eventually leaving the Captain’s shack, he goes to his sleeping quarters. After finding a guide, the Major and his guide head off into the jungle in search of a Joe. They go through a thick jungle, encountering different villages along the way. The jungle is so thick that occasionally, the guide has to use a knife to cut through the brush. After weeks, they make it to one particular village where the Major spots a ship that catches the rays of the sun. The Colonel is standing near the ship with a gun pointed at Major Polk.

Answer: The main setting of the story is on Venus, where the temperature is very hot and has a strange smell. The whole planet is filled with plants, big and small, blooming and bare. There is a heavily overgrown path that leads to the Officer’s Club. The bar has pastel hut and window shields for protection against the sun. The bar has some chairs and tables, a dart game, and a bar. Captain Bransten’s office has a desk and there is a button on the desk that would call for a Venusian. There is also a screen for calling Earth. The Major’s quarter also has a buzzer near his bed. The jungle is filled with plants, and sometimes even fogs. The villages have natives and huts that they live in. Later in the village where there is no natives, there is only a ship that has the crest of Space II.


Question: What is the relationship between Major Polk and his guide, Joe, in a story that involves an assignment on a distant planet filled with natives sharing the same name?

Answer: The relationship between the two characters starts off as one of business. Polk hires Joe to show him through the jungle. Joe is described as the best that there is, as he has lived there all his life. The two set off immediately for the jungle. As they journey through the forest, they begin to talk. Polk finds that he really enjoys the company of the Venusian. He likes that Joe always seems to be happy, and knows just what to say to cheer Polk up. He admires that he's so friendly to the locals, and immediately chats and laughs with them. Polk soon begins speaking freely to Joe, telling him about his past, as Joe would listen with the sympathetic ear. They found that they hsa a lot in common. This is why it was shocking to discover that Joe was in fact working for the Colonel the whole time, leading Polk right to him, and right to his death.

Answer: The relationship between Major Polk and Joe initially starts out as strictly professional, with Joe guiding him through the jungle. As the trip progresses the two become companions, speaking to each other casually. Major Polk notes the passion Joe has for the jungle and how much he enjoys the trip, and says that Joe provides a refreshing and uplifting presence throughout the trip. The two eventually begin telling each other about their own lives, sharing stories and becoming friends.

Answer:
At the beginning of their time together, Joe the guide seems to be very helpful to Polk. He recommends the supplies the Major would need to have a more comfortable journey in the jungle and they prove to be very useful during their adventure. During their time together, the Major observes that Joe seems to really enjoy his job. Days into their journey, the Major is feeling very dejected by not making any progress while Joe seems to be very content. It appears Joe is always in a good mood and is not influenced by the Major’s emotionally discontent. The Major notes that the relationship started off as an employer and employee constrained type but it soon became very friendly and developed to where they were sharing stories with each other. The Major increasingly talks freely with his guide.

While the relationship appeared to be very friendly during the journey in the jungle, it appears that Major Polk should have not trusted the guide. The guide appears to have already known that the Colonel would be in a clearing waiting with a stun gun for Polk as he laughs during the beginning of their encounter. It becomes clearer that Joe planned this with the Colonel, and thus betraying the friendly relationship he made with Polk. However, Joe’s attitude begins to change as he responds with a confused look towards the Colonel’s remarks about natives and Mars.

Answer: Major Polk has a formal relationship with his guide in the beginning. He would pay the guide, Joe, cigarettes and he would simply follow Joe as he finds his way through the jungle. Later, they started to talk more freely as the journey progresses. It was much less formal but more casual as the time went by. The Major starts to talk about Earth, the Academy, the Moon run, etc. And Joe is a great listener. Thus, they become friends.


Question: How does the Major discover that all the inhabitants he encounters are named Joe, and what is their fascination with cigarettes?

Answer: When the Major first arrives, he meets a man named Joe. He is a native. The Major thinks that he may have found his man already, but when he asks him if he's a trader, which would match the description that the colonel gave him, the native tells him that he's never traded anything in his life. He then keeps meeting natives, all of whom are named Joe. He asks the Captain why all the Venusians are named Joe. The captain explains that it's because when the men of the Terran space program arrived they used their slang with the locals, all calling them Joe. The men would tell them that if they did a job for them, they would get a pack of cigarettes. Because the Venusians had no names of their own before this, eventually the name "Joe" stuck, and everyone on the planet answered to it. They also kept an affinity for cigarettes.

Answer: When the Major lands on Venus, the first native he comes across introduces himself as Joe. Thinking that he had found the man he was assigned to find, the Major is pleased, but he then realizes that the man is not the right one. As the Major goes through Venus, he begins to notice that every Venusian native addresses the other as "Joe", and he realizes that they all share the same name. Captain Bransten then informs the Major of the phenomenon. When Terran men were enlisted on Venus, they would often call the natives "Joe" as a nickname, and reward them with cigarettes. Eventually, the natives caught on and began to adapt this behavior into their own culture.

Answer:
Once Major Polk meets the bartender, it is the second person that he meets on the planet named Joe. He realizes from this second encounter that the Colonel had set him up by sending him on an impossible mission.

His first hint that the natives like cigarettes are when the Captain offers him a cigarette as soon as he sits down in his office. The Captain says that the Venusians steal them during their conversation. The Captain explains that it is a part of the native Venusian culture to like cigarettes. He further realizes how important cigarettes are to natives when he is told the price for a guide can be paid with cigarette cartons. When they go through each village during their time in the jungle, the natives consistently ask for cigarettes.

Answer: The Major first encounters three Venusian natives, all with the name Joe. Even the server of Captain Bransten is named Joe. Thus he asks the Captain about this popular name. Because the enlisted man would call the native Joe, they like the name. Thus they are all called Joe. The Captain also reveals that the natives like the cigarettes because the enlisted men keep on asking them if they want to earn some cigarettes. The natives seem to only like these two things about Terran culture. This makes the Major realize that the tips given to one of the Joe that led him to the bar should have been cigarettes. Moreover, the Captain also notes that the natives like to steal the cigarettes.