With a huff, Oliver sat on the stool and began his menial task. He couldnt help but feel that Lucas was wrong. It didnt make sense to have so many cogs for a gear! But he didnt want to cause a fuss or go against his instructions. If this was what Armando had told Lucas he needed to do, then Oliver was going to do it. For all he knew, it might just be another test. A test of compliance and endurance.

As he worked, he started drawing diagrams in his mind, of how much more simply the machine could be designed. There were lots of unnecessary components here, so many, in fact, that it would make the machine far less powerful. With every cog came a transfer of energy, and there was a lot being wasted in the current design.

Just then, Lucas stood. Im taking a break. Keep going.

Sure, Oliver said absentmindedly. His whole focus was on the machine now.

He started reworking it, following the diagram he was holding in his mind. He pushed several of the smaller cogs to the side, instead choosing the ones that would provide the largest, most powerful force once cranked. All the smaller cogs were just diminishing the power, using up the energy for no good reason whatsoever. He worked out at least fifty of the cogs were detrimental to the operation of the machine, and at least another hundred were completely pointless. What he was left with was far more manageable, and he worked quickly to connect them into position.

Once he was done, he secured a lever in order to test the mechanism. He cranked it and the cogs began to turn, each moving the next along. Sure enough, his design was perfectly adequate to complete the necessary desired action.

Oliver clapped his hands, satisfied with a job well done. Then he looked about him. Hed finished his task but Lucas wasnt around to give him a new one.

Then he remembered the invisibility coat. Armando had said not to waste time on it but Oliver was wasting time just sitting here doing nothing and hed prefer to persevere even if he didnt get anywhere. No one achieved anything without trying, after all.

He went over to the workbench, looking at all the amassed fabrics and wires. As he began sorting through them, he heard Lucass footsteps returning.

What are you doing? Lucas exclaimed. I told you to work on the cogs.

He looked furious. Oliver couldnt help but cower under his fury.

I finished it, he stammered, taken aback by Lucass sheer anger.

Theres no way, Lucas contested. You cant have finished that work yet.

I have, Oliver insisted. He went back to the workbench and showed Lucas what hed done. He turned the crank to prove that the mechanism worked accurately. I took a shortcut, he explained. He pointed at all the leftover cogs. None of these were needed to make it work.