(Image produced with Grok)
Sergeant Baker snapped to attention, as the black Model T came skidding to an abrupt halt just feet before his post in front of Building "X".
Sergeant Baker saluted, "Good morning Major Bliss", as an awkward man tumbled out of the Model T, looking more like a harried academic than a military officer. Bliss appeared to be a slightly absentminded academic, because that what was exactly what he had been up until last year, an assistant professor of engineer at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, until the War Department had commissioned him as an officer to oversee research projects for the United States Army.
Major Bliss returned a crooked salute, "Good morning Mr. Baker, how is Tesla?"
"It's Sergeant Sir," Sergeant Baker said with a warm smile, adding "Tesla is his normal cantankerous self."
Bliss carefully pulled a large Bakelite case from the back of the Model T, as Sergeant Baker unlocked the door to Building X and held it open for Bliss. Bliss stepped through the door and spied Nikola Tesla bent over a Bunsen burner.
"Blissful morning to you Major!", laughed Tesla. "We shall have tea like proper gentlemen," said Tesla as he pulled a battered kettle off the burner and carefully poured the boiling water into a white tea pot.
Major Bliss placed the case onto a clean section of laboratory counter, and began unfastening the clasps. Carefully opening the lid, Bliss pulled two pairs of white cotton gloves out of a pocket, passed one set to Tesla, and slipped the other on his hand. With almost tedious caution Bliss lifted a large electronic vacuum tube out the Bakelite case. Major Bliss handed the tube to Tesla, "Dr. Fleming the Englishman made this exactly to your specifications, it's traveled a long way to get to you."
"Splendid" Tesla exclaimed, and taking the tube stepped over to an elaborate apparatus that looked like an elaborate copper coil welded to a phonograph. Tesla inserted the tube gently into an open receptacle, and exhaled as if he had been holding his breath. He flipped a lever, and the tube glowed to life, "just a moment to warm up."
Tesla poured two cups of tea and passed one to bliss. The laboratory took on the scent of cinnamon and clove, Tesla blew over the tea cup, and took a sip, smacking his lips. Setting the cup down Tesla picked up several silver dollars.
Tesla sidled up to the apparatus taking care not to step in front of the large cone like opening. The machine hummed with an unearthly sound and air in front of it seemed to ripple. "Heads or tails, Major Bliss?" Tesla asked expectantly.
"Heads," Bliss said and Tesla flipped the coin on the ground in front of the machine - the coin seems to blur in the field, and landed tails-side up.
"Again", said Tesla.
"Heads." Bliss repeated. Again the coin blurred and landed tails-side up.
Tesla and Bliss repeated the exercise, a dozen times and each time the Major called the wrong side. All of the coins lay on the ground and as Bliss stepped over to retrieve them Tesla stopped him with a hand "I wouldn't," he said.
Flipping the lever that powered the apparatus the hum slowly died. Tesla pointed at the device "This machine with that tube in place creates a probability field, within a small radius, it produces the worst result possble. It's not entirely clear, what side effects you might experience inside that field," Tesla opined.
Tesla ventured "With the right calibration, we might generate the opposite - a good luck field, if you will!"
Major Bliss said in a stunned "Mr. Tesla you may have just won the war!"
Tesla plucked at his mustache, "We shall see Major Bliss, we shall see. Finish your tea, and then we can get to work!"
This story was inspired by the Freewriters Community Prompt - "the worst result"
@daily.prompt/9-january-2025-mariannewests-freewrite-writing-prompt-day-2612-the-worst-result