“The Event Horizon of Life” You can’t teleport a soul.

Doctor Gilpin nursed his beer nervously waiting for Father Walters to arrive. The airport tavern would be an unusual experience for both yet it provided a plausible meeting place. Both never ventured into public places much, let alone a tavern. Gilpin suggested the tavern as he needed to take a course of action that if caught would ruin his career and possibly his life. The excuse of waiting for an arriving family member would easily be accepted. Gilpin was unsure of the priest’s personal risks. In life there are times that warrant taking extreme chances. This was one of those potential moments in the history of man were much could change. There are times that personal risks must be taken. This for Gilpin was one of them.

As a lifelong researcher Gilpin never took physical risks having led the solidary life of the foremost theorist on algorithms and technology of matter teleporter physics. The business consortium that funded his research was content to allow him to lead his life as he desired as long as results were achieved. Minds like Gilpin’s had made the consortium the reigning economic power of the time.

The scientific minds such as these throughout history never contemplated the questions of the common man. The world they saw was made up of equations and physical principles. The minds of the consortium focused on political power and the economic sway held over others. The everyday common man either did not exist or were thought of as consumers only.

Gilpin hoped Father Walters and the Church he represented was of a mind that would provide him sanctuary. Now he was very much aware of the basic thoughts of the common man.

One hundred years ago a business consortium in the early 22nd century secured a firm hold on matter teleportation technology. In the past instantaneous material transportation only had been in the realm of science fiction. With key fundamental research breakthroughs, teleportation proved possible. Venture capitalists made a concerted effort to legally secure ownership of all rights for this newest technology. Funding was made available and those pioneering minds like Gilpin’s were highly sought after.

The investment proved very profitable.

The early use of matter teleporters revolutionized much of the world’s economy. Now in the 23rd century, physical goods could be easily transported and made available to all in the world. As with other technology in time the machinery of teleporters became more efficient. Older methods of shipping goods diminished over time. The world of man had been largely transformed.

Despite the technological improvements made the ability to transport living matter proved to be the new Holy Grail.

With the current state of technology only inorganic materials can be reliability transported. The consortium invested heavily into the goal of teleporting living beings ever seeking to expand its economic power.

The planned development of the next generation of teleporters would be to first solve the problems of transporting agriculture grains. While plastics, metals and other inorganic based items can be transported, currently the only organic based materials based on rigid cellulose structures such as wooden furniture could be scanned, transported and replicated. Basic food grains quickly lost their molecular integrity upon replication and could only feasibility be used as low quality feedstock.

Once technology advanced to the stage of teleporting basic viable organic matter the consortium planners assumed that the subsequent improvements to allow the transport of fully living beings would soon follow.

This planned development was to be their next guarantee of their hold on power for generations to come.

There was no other mind on the planet like Gilpin’s when it came to Teleporter physics. Throughout man’s time on earth breakthrough persons have been rare. The consortium needed minds like this.

Some minds can perceive a solution to a problem before fully putting into words the nature of the problem. It was as though they moved through the world being open to the working nuances without the need for words. Their minds operated much differently than others. Perhaps this is why they did not necessarily engage with the common man on a day to day basis.

The danger to such a mind is that if they are engaged in an endeavor whose solution is beyond resolution they may well suffer a personal crisis. Extreme reclusiveness or even insanity is how they would spend their final days. Gilpin had faced such a crisis yet arrived at an unexpected articulated resolution. Hence the danger once that resolution is made known. The consortium had invested heavily into the pure research needed and they expected results.

Gilpin had been rehearsing in his mind what he would say to Father Walters. The meeting was arranged by a local priest who befriended Gilpin. During the last year as the resolution to the consortium’s goal eluded him Gilpin had taken to solidary walks. In time his path lead to a small church and over the ensuring months the priest and Gilpin struck up a friendship.

Never before had Gilpin had a relationship with someone that was interested in him as a person, not in his research or the profits that could be made from his gifts. It was during their conversations that Gilpin came to truly understand why the Teleporter development goal he was after was unattainable.

The true goal of science is to discover truth. Through observation, questions are resolved and understanding is obtained. Yes these truths can be used for other purposes, but pure science seeks to understand the truth of the universe regardless of the implications or applications.

In this search there is a fundamental premise that is often adhered to, “Occam’s Razor”. As stated in common terms, “the simplest answer is usually the most correct”. Gilpin had arrived at just such a statement, but he knew that the consortium oversight board would not accept such a simple result to their large investment.

The local priest with whom Gilpin was a confidant had a working knowledge of the basic sciences. As their conversations delved deeper and deeper into the nuances of Gilpin’s growing understanding of his current research, the priest and the church had a possible solution for Gilpin’s dilemma.

The conversations aided Gilpin in how he would explain to Father Waters the results of his research. In turn he hoped the magnitude of the implications of his revelation would buy him passage out of the risk Gilpin now felt himself trapped by.

Father Waters, one of the Vatican’s lead research scientists, was anticipating his meeting with one of the world’s leading minds. Gilpin was surprised to learn that the Church allowed scientists in their ranks. His new friend often spoke that the Church was always open to the truth. In the most recent centuries the Church knew that to understand the Universe was the only way to help the Church’s members to retain a sense of faith, a sense of understanding. While Gilpin had up to this point never expended energy on this realm of thought he now welcomed the potential collaboration.