Dr. Erasmus Thierry was sitting in his office one night, doing some calculations. He preferred the comforting scratch of pencil on paper to the invasive glow of his computer screen. It was late; in fact, it was quite late enough for the sun that had retreated behind him not ten hours ago to show its yawning face again above the restless water of the nearby lake. The dawn stretched its pale, dewy arms out to caress his eyelids closed, yet...