The only successful periscopes hed ever made had been done using the good old-fashioned technique of a pair of telescopes and precisely angled mirrors. But he knew that the Navy had invented televised periscopes all the way back in the 1960s, and then the more modern photonic masts, which used cameras and infrared. So it was possible. And Oliver was determined not to fail. Armando hadnt said this was a test, or even that he could stay on at the factory based on the outcome of the task, but Oliver felt personally as if his entire future was resting on its success. Thered be next to no chance of him convincing Armando to take him under his wing if he couldnt even prove himself on this one little task.

He spent a long time pondering, looking at the current periscope set-up, which was indeed the same old crude version hed made himself before. When hed finally worked out a possible solution in his mind, he decided what specific materials hed need to achieve such a feat.

Do you have a spare cathode ray tube? Oliver asked, considering that the first step would be to create a working screen like a television.

Of course, Armando said. I have something of everything somewhere.

In which case, I will also need a camera. And a whole load of wire. A motherboard and solder. Oh, and a battery pack or similar type of power source.

Oliver wasnt sure, but he thought he saw a little upward twitch at the corner of Armandos mouth. Perhaps the old inventor was starting to wonder whether Oliver might be apprentice material after all. Still, Oliver wasnt going to start getting overconfident. He still had to make the thing.

Be my guest, Armando said, gesturing behind him to the rest of the factory. Youre welcome to help yourself. I have some things to be getting on with. Fetch me when youre done.

It dawned on Oliver then that he was going to have to find everything he needed on his own.

He watched Armando shuffle out of the room. Now alone, Oliver set about drawing a diagram of what he was hoping to achieve. He drew a simple mast with a camera mounted at the top and wires running through a plastic tube that came out the other end and attached to the display screen. It was simple, theoretically, but far beyond anything Oliver had ever designed or constructed before.