"This was recovered in a geological research site in South America. We have been able to discern little about its physical properties, other than that it is fashioned from some kind of iridium-rich alloy - a mineral which, by the way, is in abundance at this research site." That caused a barely discernible shuffle among the audience. Not a word was spoken, but every mind in the room had just taken a keener interest; iridium was a rare metal almost invaluable to anyone involved with science, particularly with high temperatures and caustic materials. "Although no more have been found in this region, I do believe I know where we can find more."
"And just why should we care about this box?" asked someone Templeton didn't recognize. "It's pretty enough to stuff it with tissues and place in one's living room, but that's all a picture shows us, Herr Indelkrinsk. What makes it special enough to want more?"
A murmer of agreement rustled the crowd. With an emboldened voice, the speaker continued. "Indeed, why not MAKE more, if you have all this iridium at your 'research site?'"
The Russian smiled ruefully. "Ladies and gentlemen, I see I misjudged the German spirit." He stepped up to the cart with projector. "I thought to tell you more about how I came to find it and what led to my theories, first, but I can see now that the demonstration I had planned for later is the first thing I should have shown you."
The cart upon which the projector rested was covered in a fine dark blue cloth, which Indelkrinsk now drew aside and produced the real version of the box they had all just seen a picture of. He addressed one of the guards standing by. "Cut the power cord to the projector."
Puzzled, the guard looked to Von Bismarck, who only nodded curtly. Templeton noticed now that the Chancelor seemed ... different, now - impatient, agitated ... something less generally satisfied than he was when he came in. It was hard to tell, but Templeton expected nothing less from the man, and decided he was just unused to letting anyone else have commend of the room for so long.
With an "oh, well" look, the guard drew the sword at his side and deftly sliced the cord. Predictably, the image went out.
Indelkrinsk thanked him and moved up to the projector. "Now. Watch." The Russian touched the box gently to the projector - a wooden side-panel, no less - and the image instantly flared back to life, doubly bright and crystal clear.
The room watched in hushed astonishment. Templeton could almost hear the collected wheels turning as the scientists tried to figure out how it was done.
"There's a battery inside the projector," offered one.
"Indeed! And he's using the box to complete the circuit!"
Templeton watched Indelkrinsk stifle a groan and almost laughed out loud. Scientists can be a difficult bunch to amaze. The Russian muttered something in his native tonge that didn't sound very understanding or patient, then withdrew something small and thin from his pocket and slid it into the top of his strange box. The patterns began to shift and slide with a gracefully mechanical quality that suddenly gave Templeton pause - he'd never seen a machine move quite so smoothly. As they moved, they slowly revealed a reddish orange light deep within. Indelkrinsk touched it to the projector once more, now with far more spectacular results: the images began to cycle, faster and faster, bright and brighter, until they became a dazzling, multicolored blur of light on the screen. Templeton smelled burning, and first thought the projector was being overloaded. but then realized that the screen was actually getting singed under the intense light.
"Now you see?" Indelkrisnk asked his finally silent audience.
"Indeed, but YOU don't!"