"Sort of monomaniacs. They're counterfeit humans, of course, but limited counterfeits. The configuration projected for any given actor is solely of the elements in that person which are involved in the part being played. Part of the neural patterns synapses, so on--only a part, but complete circuits--are projected. "This part is enough to allow a certain freedom of development, acquisition of new ideas, individuality. Basically a projection is a replica of the person being projected. Pixie, for instance, has never strip-teased on one of the shows...." "I should hope not!" snuffed the Secretary. "... but the projection Pixie does what the real Pixie has implicit in her nature. Our friend the armadillo, being only a cartoon, is different. About all he can do is repeat commercials. "Physically, the projections eat no food. They are not quite solid--one couldn't pick up a coin or a hammer, but could handle a ping-pong ball or a fluff of cotton. "They are somewhat plastic and slip through restricted openings. I saw one walk through a screen door, and I'm told they can get through keyholes. They can be temporarily broken up by physical means, but come right back together." "I know how to lick 'em!" shouted Archy. "Chop 'em up fine and disperse the pieces." "The sheriff of Pickle, W.Va., tried that," said Otto. "Ran a bunch of clown projections through a fine chopper. They reconstituted into one gigantic clown currently scaring hell out of half the state." "Maybe we could make portable scramblers," said Archy. "Everybody could carry one." "That's been considered," said the President. "Hunting down projections one by one would take years. Please continue, Mr. Kahler." "I've found out how they keep going without studio power," said Otto. "They hang around electrical installations--high-tension lines, generators, radio and TV transmitters, even auto batteries. Wherever there are electro-magnetic fields. They go a day or two on their own, then get recharged. There are gangs of them hanging around these places." "That's it!" pronounced Archy. "That's where we can scramble them." "We'll probably try it," said Otto, "but it won't get many. They'll just go to the millions of miles of power lines." "Then turn off all the power," said Archy. "Starve 'em." Several people spoke at once, and Archy's chest went up. The president silenced them. "Do you realize what that would mean, turning off the country's power? Deliberate disaster." Archy reddened. "Well." "Could Mr. House please refrain from interruptions?" snuffed the Secretary. June's hand, under the table, patted Archy's knee. She didn't say anything--just patted his knee. "I have one last question," said the President. "Mr. Kahler, I understand these projections are extremely complex electronic propagations. How can they be maintained by random power fields like batteries and high-tension wires?"