Sam's Supercollider Interrogation Ends in Millgate's Cancer Bombshell
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Sam confronts Dr. Millgate about smoking in the White House, establishing their combative dynamic.
Sam demands a crash course on the Superconducting Supercollider as they move to the portico.
Millgate delivers the crushing revelation that the Supercollider has no practical applications, puncturing Sam's hopes.
Their confrontation escalates as Sam presses for political ammunition while Millgate mocks his motivations.
Millgate reveals his Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma diagnosis, transforming the debate with personal urgency.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Sarcastic defiance masking passionate conviction, shifting to exposed vulnerability upon confessing terminal illness.
Millgate waits smoking in Sam's office, stands casually, retorts sarcastically to the smoking reprimand, follows to the portico while puffing cigar, delivers biting tutorial on Supercollider as Big Bang recreator with no practical apps, probes Sam's motives dismissively, then paces and reveals his Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.
- • Educate Sam on Supercollider's pure scientific value
- • Expose the personal urgency of his funding fight amid illness
- • Pure discovery outweighs utilitarian politics
- • Scientific truth demands advocacy regardless of motives
Frustrated by rule-breaking and sarcasm, determined to arm himself politically, jolted into raw surprise by vulnerability.
Sam bursts into his office, sharply confronts Millgate on smoking violation, escorts him outside through double doors to the portico, demands a crash-course explanation of the Superconducting Supercollider, spars over applications and personal motivations, admits vendetta against a senator, and freezes in surprise at the illness revelation.
- • Rapidly grasp Supercollider basics to counter senatorial opposition
- • Uncover ammunition to politically paint the funding blocker
- • Personal vendettas can fuel worthwhile political wins
- • Scientific pursuits deserve defense even without immediate utility
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
Dr. Millgate's cigar ignites the confrontation as Sam enters and immediately cites White House rules; Millgate puffs defiantly while walking to the portico, during the Supercollider debate, and paces with it post-revelation, symbolizing his unapologetic rebellion and the haze of tension clouding their ideological clash.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
Sam drags Millgate through double doors onto the night-shrouded portico where they halt walking; here the Supercollider debate intensifies amid cigar smoke trails, motivations clash sharply, and Millgate's lymphoma confession lands with devastating intimacy, transforming political sparring into a moment of shared human stakes under colonnade shadows.
Narrative Connections
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Key Dialogue
"MILLGATE: "There are no practical applications, Sam. Anybody who says different is lying.""
"SAM: "I like to win.""
"MILLGATE: "Also... I have Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.""