“People were trying to tell him he was a genius.” And he was! I was absolutely overjoyed to begin working for him, even if he never seemed to care. Tomorrow was the first test of an experimental rocket engine, and my task for the day was to clean and inspect the engine in preparation. I stepped through the hissing decontamination doors, and into the massive atrium where the engine was held by a scaffolding of catwalks and stairs, white-coated scientists dotting it like ants. I eagerly stepped up into my place, and began to marvel at the master craftsmanship. Not a single speck of dust had escaped notice, and the brilliant shine of the various tubes and pipes was almost blinding. The cold metal stung my latex-gloved hands as I ran them along the gargantuan nozzle, checking every inch for imperfections. My clipboard quickly filled with checkmarks. Every inch of the device was spotless. I could hardly believe it was possible to make something so perfect. Of course, he was the only person who could! He had been my idol since I was a child. The reclusive polymath was hailed as an incredible businessman, engineer, and scientist, although he would never admit it. He wouldn’t even get close enough to another person to admit it. He refused to attend conferences, and had even scheduled the test fire to be a private event. Despite this, I respected him, and it was an honor to work on anything that he made. I slaved over the machine, continuing to work even as the others clocked out for the night. I slid my hands along the metal for hours, every one of them feeling like mere minutes. At last, I found something. A single fitting, attached to the oxidizer tank, was loose. I noted it on my checklist, and began to head towards the door, when a sudden hiss caught my attention. The fuel tanks had begun to fill. I glanced at my watch. An entire day had passed, and the engine was about to fire. I shouted for help, but the room was empty. I looked upwards at the observation deck, but he was engrossed in the instrumentation, and completely ignored the engine. I looked back, and saw the fitting begin to rattle. If it leaked, the entire room would be engulfed in flames, leveling the entire building. I reached for the pipe, only to recoil back as my gloves melted away, burning my skin to a deep red. The pipe began changing colors, from red, to yellow, and finally to white. Sweat began to bead on my face, and the hair on my face and arms began to burn away. I gritted my teeth, and clenched my hands against the fitting. I screamed in anguish, and wrenched it tight with all of my strength. I fell back, staring at my charred, useless hands. I could only hope that the fitting was tight enough to spare the facility. I looked back up at the observation deck, and at him. He glanced at the engine, and locked eyes with me. I smiled weakly, and his eyes widened in shock. He ran to the window, then back to his desk, where he picked up a phone and began screaming into it. He dropped the phone, and started slamming buttons, desperately trying to stop the firing. I closed my eyes, and leaned back. I hoped this would not impede the development of such a beautiful machine. The engine finally fired, and vaporized me instantly.