"Inform Zach immediately about the situation."
The Universal Power Station was in an uproar. The main power grid converter had malfunctioned and sectors 400 through 650 were out. The foreman Zach was still in bed when the urgent call came.
"What the ... I'll be right over!"
Zach rushed to Universal to check out the problem. Things like this happened only once before at the beginning of Universal's establishment but no one was around to be hurt by it. Many of the engineers were on vacation at this time so he was working with a skeleton crew. He called Universal's main office.
"Get me some of our top engineers to the main station. I don't care how, just get them!"
Zach slammed down the receiver. He had to get the power going very soon or many people might be hurt. He knew how he handled the situation would be the basis for his continued service with the company. To think that a stupid malfunction would bring the hatchet down on him...
"No!" Zach screamed aloud. He entered Universal with a scowl on his face.
"Where are those engineers?" He shouted at the receptionist.
"Well, sir, we can't find them. They all seem to have disappeared to parts unknown. In fact, none of the people on vacation can be found."
"I told you on the phone and I'll tell you again, GET THEM!" The receptionist cowered at her desk.
"I don't care what the cost. Get private investigators, use radar, bribe the higher-ups. All I need is one good engineer who knows our equipment and make it fast!"
The receptionist ran out of the room. Zach knew it wasn't her fault. In fact, she probably tried all that already. To check out a power grid converter requires even the best skilled man ten minutes at least. Zach decided to look at the equipment himself. As he entered the room, he was greeted with a sea of flailing arms. Everyone was running around, getting no place.
"This is the last time I'll have the real engineers on vacation, leaving you glorified grease monkeys they have the gall to call technicians running this place!"
Zach approached one young man who was standing by the control panel.
"What in blazes is going on here?" The technician was afraid to answer.
"Well sir, we aren't used to this kind of power grid converter. You see, in school we learn about the newer models. This is the oldest machine in the whole company. The basic principles are the same but we are having trouble locating the difficulty."
"Did anyone think of taking a look inside?" quipped Zach.
"Well, uh, how do you access the diagnostics, sir?"
Zach managed to hold his voice down. "Well, shall we - no, wait. Let's look on the outside first to see what you bright boys missed."
* * *
Albert Mason was driving home in Sacramento when it happened. Phong Li was walking in the fields near Bangkok when it happened. George Gothelle was observing sunspots on Mount Wilson when it happened. Mohammed Gupta was strolling the streets of Bombay. Frederick Upton-Smythe was playing golf in Berkshire. Millions and millions of people were living, dying, loving, and killing...
The sun went out in the Eastern Hemisphere. The moon and stars disappeared in the Western Hemisphere. The hot line was truly growing red hot from all the calls to Washington, London, Moscow, and Beijing...
No one knew what had happened!
* * *
Zach rebooted the system. He was seething.
"OK bright boys. You make a mint working Universal's power grid converter for this dimension. You know that Earth is up and coming in technology. They may discover us any century now. And now, what are you guys doing? One of you idiots probably tripped and the plug came out. What are those beings going to think now that their universe's stars blinked off on them for one of their hours?"
THE END