Islands of Space | Page 7

rough relux, which will absorb the heat efficiently, while the

outer one will be of polished relux to keep the radiation inside.
Between the two we'll run a flow of helium at two tons per square inch
pressure to carry the heat to the molecular motion apparatus. The neck
of the bottle will contain the atomic generator."
Fuller still looked puzzled. "See here; with this new space strain drive,
why do we have to have the molecular drive at all?"
"To move around near a heavy mass--in the presence of a strong
gravitational field," Arcot said. "A gravitational field tends to warp
space in such a way that the velocity of light is lower in its presence.
Our drive tries to warp or strain space in the opposite manner. The two
would simply cancel each other out and we'd waste a lot of power
going nowhere. As a matter of fact, the gravitational field of the sun is
so intense that we'll have to go out beyond the orbit of Pluto before we
can use the space strain drive effectively."
"I catch," said Fuller. "Now to get back to the generators. I think the
power units would be simpler if they were controlled from one
electrical power source, and just as reliable. Anyway, the molecular
motion power is controlled, of necessity, from a single generator, so if
one is apt to go bad, the other is, too."
"Very good reasoning," smiled Morey, "but I'm still strong for
decentralization. I suggest a compromise. We can have the main power
unit and the main verticals, which will be the largest, controlled by
individual cosmic ray heaters, and the rest run by electric power units.
They'd be just heating coils surrounded by the field."
"A good idea," said Arcot. "I'm in favor of the compromise. Okay,
Fuller? Okay. Now the next problem is weapons. I suggest we use a
separate control panel and a separate generating panel for the power
tubes we'll want in the molecular beam projectors."
The molecular beam projector simply projected the field that caused
molecular motion to take place as wanted. As weapons, they were
terrifically deadly. If half a mountain is suddenly thrown into the air
because all the random motion of its molecules becomes concentrated

in one direction, it becomes a difficult projectile to fight. Or touch the
bow of a ship with the beam; the bow drops to absolute zero and is
driven back on the stern, with all the speed of its billions of molecules.
The general effect is similar to that produced by two ships having a
head-on collision at ten miles per second.
Anything touched by the beam is broken by its own molecules, twisted
by its own strength, and crushed by its own toughness. Nothing can
resist it.
"My idea," Arcot went on, "was that since the same power is used for
both the beams and the drive, we'll have two separate power-tube banks
to generate it. That way, if one breaks down, we can switch to the other.
We can even use both at once on the drive, if necessary; the molecular
motion machines will stand it if we make them of relux and anchor
them with lux metal beams. The projectors would be able to handle the
power, too, using Dad's new system.
"That will give us more protection, and, at the same time, full power.
Since we'll have several projectors, the power needed to operate the
ship will be about equal to the power required to operate the projectors.
"And I also suggest we mount some heat beam projectors."
"Why?" objected Wade. "They're less effective than the molecular rays.
The molecular beams are instantly irresistible, while the heat beams
take time to heat up the target. Sure, they're unhealthy to deal with, but
no more so than the molecular beam."
"True enough," Arcot agreed, "but the heat beam is more spectacular,
and we may find that a mere spectacular display will accomplish as
much as actual destruction. Besides, the heat beams are more local in
effect. If we want to kill an enemy and spare his captive, we want a
beam that will be deadly where it hits, not for fifty yards around."
"Hold it a second," said Fuller wearily. "Now it's heat beams. Don't you
guys think you ought to explain a little bit to the poor goon who's
designing this flying battlewagon? How did you get a heat beam?"

Arcot grinned. "Simple. We use a small atomic cavity radiator at one
end of which is a rough relux parabolic filter. Beyond that is a lux
metal lens. The relux heats up tremendously, and since there is no
polished relux to reflect it back, the heat is radiated out through the lux
metal lens as a powerful heat beam."
"Okay, fine,"