Dear Diary (continued),

"Dammit, Butch, I’m a mineralogist not a believer in fairy stories. Of course the laws of physics apply – physics makes minerals and without minerals there would be nothing. Ipso facto there must be physics because without minerals I wouldn’t be a mineralogist. QED."

"You may be right, John, but somehow I doubt it" I said.

"Dammit, Butch."

"Minerals alone cannot explain the screwdriver or the marker pen or indeed the white board behind me. I think this reality allows us to create anything our minds can conceive of."

"Such as a puppy?" asked Carol Richmond. She was suddenly holding a puppy. "Oh – is that what a puppy is. Being from the twenty eighth century I’ve never actually seen one before. Our dogs are all robots as you all will remember."

"Yes" I agreed.

"Quite" said John.

"What is a puppy?" asked Fingers but we ignored him despite Dignity in the Workplace policies which require me as a manager to offer equal respect to the opinions, beliefs and ignorance of everyone under my command.

"Can I wish for some zanium and get a nugget delivered immediately?" asked John. He closed his eyes and wished intensely. He found to his inestimable delight that he was now holding a sizable nugget of zanium. "Gadzooks" he cried. "If I can magic up a smelting plant, a mineral exchange and a banking system I will be rich beyond the dreams of avarice."

"What shall we do with these new powers?" asked Carol Richmond, "and how can they get us home?"

"Yes" I began, unsure of what to do next.

Minutes of the SS Pioneer Staff Meeting

Location : A magical void

Date : the 28th Century

Present : Captain Maitland, Carol Richmond, the Man John and Engineer Fingers

Apologies : The laws of physics

Agenda

1. Minutes of the last meeting.

2. Current position.

3. Being able to make things magically appear out of thin air

4. How long until we die?

5. Any other business.

Minutes

1. CM delighted that everyone had plenty of copies of the previous minutes. There were so many copies of previous minutes suddenly in existence that CR suggested we pile them up and use them as chairs for the rest of the meeting.

2. The laws of physics do not apply here. CM expressed concern that we need the laws of physics because otherwise why have laws of physics? EF suggested we study this environment up to and including the point at which it collapses. TMJ said that would kill us all. EF received three sharp looks.

ACTION POINT – By all means study this environment but we must be gone by the time it collapses.

ACTION POINT – Find a way to leave before it collapses.

3. Obviously the temptation is to use our new powers for selfish, hedonistic purposes. CM suggested instead that we try to make useful things which will aid our escape and which may – if the laws of physics (which must apply at some point) allow their continued existence after we leave here – benefit humanity.

ACTION POINT – Set up committee to examine the possible benefits of magical powers.

4. We have no idea. This has apparently never happened before.

ACTION POINT – Find out how long this void will last

ACTION POINT – Be gone before then.

5. AOB – CM reminded everyone that their mandatory annual training courses are due shortly and CR and TMJ should book appointments to take them within the next three weeks. CM to check regulations about whether EF should take these courses before or after he goes on the formal induction course.

Next meeting –

Chair – Captain Maitland

Minutes – to be determined

"I think we should set up two visionining work streams to creatively visualise the opportunities this new development offers us going forward. I propose that Carol Richmond and I form Visioning Group Alpha and Fingers and the man John form Visioning Group Beta."

"Dammit, Butch, I’m an engaged mineralogist not a lone wolf who can be paired up with anyone and who will keep a moody distance to avoid emotional entanglements. I insist on working with my wife to be or nothing."

"John, I want this to be a positive visioning experience going forward – if you don’t participate I will be forced to make an adverse entry under the "Team Work" heading in your biennial behaviours assessment programme."

"Dammit, Butch."

"I propose we make some space and go off for two hours to work through our visioning for taking this opportunity stream forward."

We parted – Carol and I to one end of the void and John and Fingers to the other.

"What shall we do first?" asked Carol Richmond.

"I want to value your contribution" I told her enthusiastically. "What do you see in your visioning?"

"Well, this is a logically and scientifically impossible place which exists – as far as we know – only because Fingers made an error in his nutronium polarity overload. It could collapse at any second and if it does then we will be crushed to atoms. Always assuming we aren’t already dead and that this fiction only exists in one of our minds."

"Hmm" I said, considering her words. "I’ve magicked up a kettle. Would you mind making us all a nice cup of tea to help the visioning process?"

Carol Richmond gave me a look not befitting a junior officer. Suddenly, as if by magic which it actually was, there was a cup of tea in my hand. I thanked her and took a sip.

"Ughhh" I cried as I spat it into the empty nothing. "There is no sugar in it."

"But I imagined it with six sugars as usual" replied Carol.

"Then I think we’ve learned something significant" I said proudly. "This void has no concept of sugar."

I took a step towards her and heard a crunch. I looked down and saw the remains of six sugar pellets.

"A cup of tea and six sugars" murmured Carol Richmond. "I think it has taken me too literally."

We were back at square one.