Don Channing stood back and admired his latest acquisition with all of
the fervency of a high school girl inspecting her first party dress.
It was so apparent, this affection between man and gadget, that the
workmen who were now carrying off the remnants of the packing case did
so from the far side of the bench so that they would not come between
the Director of Communications and the object of his affection. So
intent was Channing to the adoration of the object that he did not
hear the door open, nor the click of high heels against the plastic
flooring. He was completely unaware of his surroundings until Arden
said:
"Don, what on earth is that?"
"Ain't she a beaut," breathed Channing.
"Jilted for a jimcrank," groaned Arden. "Tell me, my quondam husband,
what is it?"
"Huh?" asked Don, coming to life once more.
"In plain, unvarnished words of one cylinder, what is that ... that
_that_?"
"Oh, you mean the transmission tube?"
"How do you do?" said Arden to the big tube. "Funny looking thing, not
like any transmitting tube I've ever seen before."
"Not a transmitting tube," explained Channing. "It is one of those
power transmission tubes that Baler and Carroll found on the Martian
Desert."
"I presume that is why the etch says: 'Made by Terran Electric,
Chicago'?"
Channing laughed. "Not the one found--there was only _one_ found. This
is a carbon copy. They are going to revolutionize the transmission of
power with them."
"Funny-looking gadget."
"Not so funny. Just alien."
"Know anything about it?"
"Not too much. But I've got Barney Carroll coming out here and a couple
of guys from Terran Electric. I'm going to strain myself to keep from
tinkering with the thing until they get here."
"Can't you go ahead? It's not like you to wait."
"I know," said Channing. "But the Terran Electric boys have sewed up
the rights to this dingus so tight that it is squeaking. Seems to be
some objection to working on them in the absence of their men."
"Why?"
"Probably because Terran Electric knows a good thing when they see
it. Barney's latest 'gram said that they were very reluctant to lend
this tube to us. Legally they couldn't refuse, but they know darned
well that we're not going to run power in here from Terra--or anywhere
else. They know we want it for experimentation, and they feel that it
is their tube and that if any experimentation is going to take place,
they're going to do it."
The workmen returned with two smaller cases; one each they placed on
benches to either side of the big tube. They knocked the boxes apart
and there emerged two smaller editions of the center tube--and even
Arden could see that these two were quite like the forward half and the
latter half, respectively, of the larger tube.
"Did you buy 'em out?" she asked.
"No," said Don simply. "This merely makes a complete circuit."
"Explain that one, please."
"Sure. This one on the left is the input-terminal tube which they call
the power-end. The good old D.C. goes in across these big terminals. It
emerges from the big end, here, and bats across in a beam of intangible
something-or-other until it gets to the relay tube, where it is once
more tossed across to the load-end tube. The power is taken from these
terminals on the back end of the load-end tube and is then suitable
for running motors, refrigerators, and so on. The total line-loss
is slightly more than the old-fashioned transmission line. The
cathode-dynode requires replacements about once a year. The advantages
over high-tension wires are many; in spite of the slightly-higher
line-losses, they are replacing long-lines everywhere.
"When they're properly aligned they will arch right over a mountain
of solid iron without attenuation. It takes one tower every hundred
and seventy miles, and the only restriction on tower height is that
the tube must be above ground by ten to one the distance that could be
flashed over under high intensity ultraviolet light."
"That isn't clear to me."
"Well, high tension juice will flash over better under ultraviolet
illumination. The tube must be high enough to exceed this distance by
ten to one at the operating voltage of the stuff down the line. The
boys in the Palanortis Jungles say they're a godsend, since there are a
lot of places where the high tension towers would be impossible since
the Palanortis Whitewood grows about a thousand feet tall."
"You'd cut a lot of wood to ream a path through from Northern Landing
to the power station on the Boiling River," said Arden.
"Yeah," drawled Don, "and towers a couple of hundred miles apart are
better than two thousand feet. Yeah, these things are the nuts for
getting power shipped across country."
"Couldn't we squirt it out from Terra?" asked Arden. "That would take
the curse off of our operating expenses."
"It sure would," agreed Channing heartily. "But think of the trouble
in aligning a beam of that distance. I don't know--there's this two
hundred miles' restriction, you know. They don't transmit worth a hoot
over that distance, and it would be utterly impossible to maintain
stations in space a couple of hundred miles apart, even from Venus,
from which we maintain a fairly close tolerance. We might try a hooting
big one, but the trouble is that misalignment of the things result in
terrible effects."
The door opened and Chuck Thomas and Walt Franks entered.
"How's our playthings?" asked Walt.
"Cockeyed looking gadgets," commented Chuck.
"Take a good look at 'em," said Channing. "Might make some working
X-ray plates, too. It was a lucky day that these got here before the
boys from Terran Electric. I doubt that they'd permit that."
"O.K.," said Chuck, "I'll bring the X-ray up here and make some pix.
We'll want working prints; Warren will have to take 'em and hang
dimensions on to fit."
"And we," said Channing to Walt Franks, "will go to our respective
offices and wait until the Terran Electric representatives get here."
The ship that came with the tubes took off from the landing stage, and
as it passed their observation dome, it caught Don's eye. "There goes
our project for the week," he said.
"Huh?" asked Walt.
"He's been like that ever since we tracked him down on the _Ariadne_,"
said Arden.
"I mean the detection of driver radiation," said Channing.
"Project for the week?" asked Walt. "Brother, we've been tinkering with
that idea for months, now."
"Well," said Don, "there goes four drivers, all batting out umpty-ump
begawatts of something. They can hang a couple of G on a six hundred
foot hull for hours and hours. The radiation they emit must be
detectable; don't tell me that such power is not."
"The interplanetary companies have been tinkering with drivers for
years and years," said Walt. "They have never detected it?"
"Could be, but there are a couple of facts that I'd like to point
out. One is that they're not interested in detection. They only want
the best in driver efficiency. Another thing is that the radiation
from the drivers is sufficient to ionize atmosphere into a dull red
glow that persists for several minutes. Next item is the fact that
we on Venus Equilateral should be able to invent a detector; we've
been tinkering with detectors long enough. Oh, I'll admit that it is
secondary-electronics--"
"Huh? That's a new one on me."
"It isn't electronics," said Channing. "It's sub-etheric or something
like that. We'll call it subelectronics for lack of anything else. But
we should be able to detect it somehow."
"Suppose there is nothing to detect?"
"That smacks of one hundred percent efficiency," laughed Don.
"Impossible."
"How about an electric heater?" asked Arden.
"Oh, Lord, Arden, an electric heater is the most ineffic--"
"Is it?" interrupted Arden with a smile. "What happens to radiation
when intercepted?"
"Turns to heat, of course."
"That takes care of the radiation output," said Arden. "Now, how about
electrical losses?"
"Also heat."
"Then everything that goes into an electric heater emerges as heat,"
said Arden.
"I get it," laughed Walt. "Efficiency depends on what you hope to
get. If what you want is losses, anything that is a total loss is one
hundred percent efficient. Set your machine up to waste power and it
becomes one hundred percent efficient as long as there is nothing
coming from the machine that doesn't count as waste."
"Fine point for arguing," smiled Channing. "But anything that will make
atmosphere glow dull red after the passage of a ship will have enough
waste to detect. Don't tell me that the red glow enhances the drive."
The door opened again and Chuck Thomas came in with a crew of men. They
ignored the three, and started to hang heavy cloth around the walls and
ceiling. Chuck watched the installation of the barrier-cloth, and then
said: "Beat it--if you want any young Channings!"
Arden, at least, had the grace to blush.
* * * * *
The tall, slender man handed Don an envelope full of credentials. "I'm
Wesley Farrell," he said. "Glad to have a chance to work out here with
you fellows."
"Glad to have you," said Don. He looked at the other man.
"This is Mark Kingman."
"How do you do?" said Channing. Kingman did not impress Channing as
being a person whose presence in a gathering would be demanded with
gracious shouts of glee.
"Mr. Kingman is an attorney for Terran Electric," explained Wesley.
Kingman's pedestal was lowered by Channing.
"My purpose," said Kingman, "is to represent my company's interest in
the transmission tube."
"In what way?" asked Don.
"Messrs. Baler and Carroll sold their discovery to Terran Electric
outright. We have an iron-bound patent on the device and/or any
developments of the device. We hold absolute control over the
transmission tube, and therefore may dictate all terms on which it is
to be used."
"I understand. You know, of course, that our interest in the
transmission tube is purely academic."
"I have been told that. We're not too certain that we approve. Our
laboratories are capable of any investigation you may desire, and we
prefer that such investigations be conducted under our supervision."
"We are not going to encroach on your power rights," explained
Channing.
"Naturally," said Kingman in a parsimonious manner. "But should you
develop a new use for the device, we shall have to demand that we have
complete rights."
"Isn't that a bit high-handed?" asked Don.
"We think not. It is our right."
"You're trained technically?" asked Don.
"Not at all. I am a lawyer, not an engineer. Dr. Farrell will take care
of the technical aspects of the device."
"And in looking out for your interests, what will you require?"
"Daily reports from your group. Daily conferences with your legal
department. These reports should be prepared prior to the day's work
so that I may discuss with the legal department the right of Terran
Electric to permit or disapprove the acts."
"You understand that there may be a lot of times when something
discovered at ten o'clock may change the entire program by ten oh six?"
"That may be," said Kingman, "but my original statements must be
adhered to, otherwise I am authorized to remove the devices from your
possession. I will go this far, however; if you discover something that
will change your program for the day, I will then call an immediate
conference which should hurry your program instead of waiting until the
following morning for the decision."
"Thanks," said Channing dryly. "First, may we take X-ray prints of the
devices?"
"No. Terran Electric will furnish you with blueprints which we consider
suitable." Kingman paused for a moment. "I shall expect the complete
program of tomorrow's experiments by five o'clock this evening."
Kingman left, and Wes Farrell smiled uncertainly. "Shall we begin
making the list?"
"Might as well," said Channing. "But, how do you lay out a complete
experimental program for twelve hours ahead?"
"It's a new one on me, too," said Farrell.
"Well, come on. I'll get Walt Franks, and we'll begin."
"I wonder if it might not be desirable for Kingman to sit in on these
program-settings?" said Channing, after a moment of staring at the page
before him.
"I suggested that to him. He said 'No.' He prefers his information in
writing."
Walt came in on the last words. Channing brought Franks up to date and
Walt said: "But why should he want a written program if he's going to
disallow certain ideas?"
"Sounds to me like he's perfectly willing to let us suggest certain
lines of endeavor; he may decide that they look good enough to have the
Terran Electric labs try themselves," said Channing.
Wes Farrell looked uncomfortable.
"I have half a notion to toss him out," Channing told Farrell. "I also
have half a notion to make miniatures of this tube and go ahead and
work regardless of Kingman or Terran Electric. O.K., Wes, we won't do
anything illegal. We'll begin by making our list."
"What is your intention?" asked Wes.
"We hope that these tubes will enable us to detect driver radiation,
which will ultimately permit us to open ship-to-ship two-way
communication."
"May I ask how you hope to do this?"
"Sure. We're going to cut and try. No one knows a thing about the
level of driver-energy; we've selected a name for it: Subelectronics.
The driver tube is akin to this transmission tube, if what I've been
able to collect on the subject is authentic. By using the transmission
tube--"
"Your belief is interesting. I've failed to see any connection between
our tube and the driver tube."
"Oh, sure," said Channing expansively. "I'll admit that the similarity
is of the same order as the similarity between an incandescent lamp
and a ten dynode electron-multiplier such as we use in our final beam
stages. But recall this business of the cathode-dynode. In both, the
emitting surface is bombarded by electrons from electron guns. They
both require changing."
"I know that, but the driver cathode disintegrates at a rate of loss
that is terrific compared to the loss of emitting surface in the
transmission tube."
"The driver cathode is worth about two hundred G-hours. But remember,
there is no input to the driver such as you have in the transmission
tube. The power from the driver comes from the disintegration of the
cathode surface--there isn't a ten-thousandth of an inch of plating on
the inside of the tube to show where it went. But the transmission tube
has an input and the tube itself merely transduces this power to some
level of radiation for transmission. It is re-transduced again for use.
But the thing is this: your tube is the only thing that we know of that
will accept sub-electronic energy and use it. If the driver and the
transmission tubes are similar in operational spectrum, we may be able
to detect driver radiation by some modification."
"That sounds interesting," said Wes. "I'll be darned glad to give you a
lift."
"Isn't that beyond your job?" asked Channing.
"Yeah," drawled Farrell, "but could you stand by and watch me work on a
beam transmitter?"
"No--"
"Then don't expect me to watch without getting my fingers dirty," said
Farrell cheerfully. "Sitting around in a place like this would drive me
nuts without something to do."
"O.K., then," smiled Don. "We'll start off by building about a dozen
miniatures. We'll make 'em about six inches long--we're not going to
handle much power, you know. That's first."
* * * * *
Kingman viewed the list with distaste. "There are a number of items
here which I may not allow," he said.
"For instance?" asked Channing with lifted eyebrows.
"One, the manufacture or fabrication of power transmission tubes by
anyone except Terran Electric is forbidden. Two, your purpose in
wanting to make tubes is not clearly set forth. Three, the circuit in
which you intend to use these tubes is unorthodox, and must be clearly
and fully drawn and listed."
"Oh, spinach! How can we list and draw a circuit that is still in the
embryonic stage?"
"Then clarify it. Until then I shall withhold permission."
"But look, Mr. Kingman, we're going to develop this circuit as we go
along."
"You mean that you're going to fumble your way through this
investigation?"
"We do not consider a cut-and-try program as fumbling," said Walt
Franks.
"I am beginning to believe that your research department has not the
ability to reduce your problems to a precise science," said Kingman
coldly.
"Name me a precise science," snapped Channing, "or even a precise art!"
"The legal trade is as precise as any. Everything we do is done
according to legal precedent."
"I see. And when there is no precedent?"
"Then we all decide upon the proper course, and establish a precedent."
"But I've got to show you a complete circuit before you'll permit me to
go ahead?"
"That's not all. Your program must not include reproducing these
tubes either in miniature or in full size--or larger. Give me your
requirements and I shall request Terran Electric to perform the
fabrication."
"Look, Kingman, Venus Equilateral has facilities to build as good a
tube as Terran Electric. I might even say better, since our business
includes the use, maintenance, and development of radio tubes; your
tubes are not too different from ours. Plus the fact that we can whack
out six in one day, whilst it will take seventy-three hours to get 'em
here after they're built on Terra."
"I'm sorry, but the legal meaning of the patent is clear. Where is your
legal department?"
"We have three. One on each of the Inner Planets."
"I'll request you to have a legal representative come to the station so
that I may confer with him. One with power of attorney to act for you."
"Sorry," said Channing coldly. "I wouldn't permit any attorney to act
without my supervision."
"That's rather a backward attitude," said Kingman. "I shall still
insist on conducting my business with one of legal mind."
"O.K. We'll have Peterman come out from Terra. But he'll still be
under my supervision."
"As you wish, I may still exert my prerogative and remove the tubes
from your possession."
"You may find that hard to do," said Channing.
"That's illegal!"
"Oh, no, it won't be. You may enter the laboratory at any time and
remove the tubes. Of course, if you are without technical training you
may find it most difficult to disconnect the tubes without getting
across a few thousand volts. That might be uncomfortable."
"Are you threatening me?" said Kingman, bristling. His stocky frame
didn't take to bristling very well, and he lost considerable prestige
in the act.
"Not at all, I'm just issuing a fair warning that the signs that say:
'DANGER! HIGH-VOLTAGE!' are not there for appearance."
"Sounds like a threat to me."
"Have I threatened you? It sounds to me as though I were more than
anxious for your welfare. Any threat of which you speak is utterly
without grounds, and is a figment of your imagination; based upon
distrust of Venus Equilateral, and the personnel of Venus Equilateral
Relay Station."
Kingman shut up. He went down the list, marking off items here and
there. While he was marking, Channing scribbled a circuit and listed
the parts. He handed it over as Kingman finished.
"This is your circuit?" asked the lawyer skeptically.
"Yes."
"I shall have to ask for an explanation of the symbols involved."
"I shall be happy to present you with a book on essential radio
technique," offered Channing. "A perusal of which will place you in
possession of considerable knowledge. Will that suffice?"
"I believe so. I cannot understand how; being uncertain of your steps
a few minutes ago, you are now presenting me with a circuit of your
intended experiment."
"The circuit is, of course, merely symbolic. We shall change many of
the constants before the day is over--in fact, we may even change the
circuit."
"I shall require a notice before each change so that I may pass upon
the legal aspects."
"Walt," said Don, "will you accompany me to a transparency experiment
on the Ninth Level?"
"Be more than glad to," said Walt. "Let's go!"
* * * * *
They left the office quickly, and started for Joe's. They had not
reached the combined liquor vending and restaurant establishment when
the communicator called for Channing. It was announcing the arrival
of Barney Carroll, so instead of heading for Joe's, they went to the
landing stage at the south end of the station to greet the Visitor.
"Barney," said Don, "of all the companies, why did you pick on Terran
Electric?"
"Gave us the best deal," said the huge, grinning man.
"Yeah, and they're getting the best of my goat right now."
"Well, Jim and I couldn't handle anything as big as the power
transmission set-up. They paid out a large slice of jack for the
complete rights. All of us are well paid now. After all, I'm primarily
interested in Martian artifacts, you know."
"I wonder if they had lawyers," smiled Walt wryly.
"Probably. And, no doubt, the legals had a lot to do with the fall of
the Martian civilization."
"As it will probably get this one so wound up with red tape that
progress will be impossible--or impractical."
"Well, Barney, let's take a run up to the lab. We can make paper-talk
even if Brother Kingman won't let us set it to soldering iron. There
are a lot of things I want to ask you about the tube."
They sat around a drawing table and Channing began to sketch. "What
I'd hoped to do is this," he said, drawing a schematic design. "We're
not interested in power transmission, but your gadget will do a bit
of voltage amplification because of its utter indifference to the
power-line problem of impedance matching. We can take a relay tube
and put in ten watts, say, across ten thousand ohms. That means
the input will be somewhat above three hundred volts. Now, if our
output is across a hundred thousand ohms, ten watts will give us one
thousand volts. So we can get voltage amplification at the expense
of current--which we will not need. Unfortunately, the relay tube as
well as the rest of the system will give out with the same kind of
power that it is impressed with--so we'll have amplification of driver
radiation. Then we'll need a detector. We haven't been able to get one
either yet, but this is a start, providing that Terran Electric will
permit us to take a deep breath without wanting to pass on it."
"I think you may be able to get amplification," said Barney. "But to do
it, you'll have to detect it first."
"Huh?"
"Sure. Before these darned things will work, this in-phase anode must
be right on the beam. That means that you'll require a feedback circuit
from the final stage to feed the in-phase anodes. Could be done without
detection, I suppose."
"Well, for one thing, we're going to get some amplification if we
change the primary anode--so. That won't permit the thing to handle any
power, but it will isolate the output from the input and permit more
amplifications. Follow?"
"Can we try it?"
"As soon as I get Terran Electric's permission."
"Here we go again!" groaned Walt.
"Yeah," said Don to Barney, "now you'll see the kind of birds you sold
your gadget to."
They found Kingman and Farrell in conference. Channing offered his
suggestion immediately, and Kingman looked it over, shaking his head.
"It is not permitted to alter, change, rework, or repair tubes owned by
Terran Electric," he said.
"What are we permitted to do?" asked Channing.
"Give me your recommendation and I shall have the shop at Terran
Electric perform the operation."
"At cost?"
"Cost plus a slight profit. Terran Electric, just as Venus Equilateral,
is not in business from an altruistic standpoint."
"I see."
"Also," said Kingman severely, "I noticed one of your men changing the
circuit slightly without permission. Why?"
"Who was it?"
"The man known as Thomas."
"Charles Thomas is in charge of development work," said Channing. "He
probably noted some slight effect that he wanted to check."
"He should have notified me first--I don't care how minute the change.
I must pass on changes first."
"But you wouldn't know their worth," objected Barney.
"No, but Mr. Farrell does, and will so advise me."