"Charles L. Harness-The Tetrahedron" - читать интересную книгу автора (Harness Charles L)

substitute for the real thing. She dreamed of going home again, but she knew she probably never would.
She couldn't face her mother's highly vocal accusation: "Twenty-eight and still not married!"
 Meanwhile, stop dreaming and get out the form book! Fix up a notice for Mr. Wright to sign
and send to... who was opposing lead counsel? Larvey? Yes, Ralph Larvey, of Getterfield, White.
Right down the street. Welcome to 1503, counselor!
***


* * *


3. Like a Smothered Mate
***


At the appointed time Elizabeth and Pellar drove out to the army complex near Manassas, Virginia, to
meet Colonel Inman and receive instruction in operating the TM.
The colonel was a tall, thin, gray-haired man. Elizabeth knew very little about him, just that he was
married, with children grown and gone away. He had several graduate degrees, including physics and
law, and now he ran Special Assets.
She also knew that the colonel's consuming interest just at present was to resist buying the opposing
Rosso patent application, which had been offered to the Army for one hundred million dollars.
The officer led them down a gravel path to a Quonset hut. He unlocked the door, flipped alight switch,
and they walked in. A seven-foot plywood tetrahedron stood in the center of the chamber.
"I thought the TM was just a framework of tubing," Elizabeth said.
"The real thing is," explained Inman. "What you see here is just a trainer, to familiarize you with the
controls. We want to minimize use of the real thing. You've heard of the 'space-break' theory?"
Elizabeth nodded. One of the top DOD physicists had a theory the TM could break the time-space
barrier only a limited number of times. After that, the TM wouldn't work.
"Where is the real thing?" asked Pellar.
Elizabeth had already figured that out. Over against the far wall stood a nondescript leather valise. By
her calculations, if the tubes of the framework were unscrewed into quarters and stored with battery
pack and computer console, it all ought to fit into that valise.
"It's in a safe place," answered Inman noncommittally. He held open the door of the simulator and
turned on a small fluorescent. They joined him inside.
"There's room for three travelers and these two cases," he said. "One case can hold the dismantled
tetrahedron, including the console and battery pack. The other is intended for materials you'll need for
your deposition. Take a look." He asked Elizabeth, "Is one case big enough for your needs?"
"Hmm. The IBM translator and printer will fit nicely, but there may be a space problem with our
power pack. Do you think we could use the TM pack?"
"What power will you need?" asked Inman.
"One hundred watts, for probably two to three hours."
"The TM pack can easily provide that. Now then, let's go on. I'm sure you both know the theory of
the invention. It's based on the University of Arizona process of cold fusion. In that process, heavy water
fuses to helium-four and makes heat. Simple, eh? Actually, not so simple. More heavy water was
disappearing than could be accounted for in recovered helium-four. Asa Green, our inventor, discovered
the loss was going into positive He-4-- antimatter-- which was not detectable because it was being
consumed by driving the synthesis apparatus into the past. In the interests of efficiency and control, Green
developed the tetrahedral frame of silver pipes. The heavy water circulates in each fractional pipe section.
For control of gross movement he uses a crystal of black uranium oxide, linked to the console and