Pattern for ConquestSmith, George O. (George Oliver)
Science
Pattern for Conquest
Smith, George O. (George Oliver)
Science fiction
"Sure," grinned Billy. "For a given frequency, and a given velocity
of propagation, there will be only one possible wave length to suit
the conditions. That, essentially means that a given distance will
have a definite number of wave lengths so long as the frequency and
speed of propagation is maintained. The puller-sphere we were using is
propagated on a tractor beam. The characteristics of a tractor beam are
that once established, the number of wave lengths between projector and
object remain the same. Then the projector presents a leading signal
phase, and the phase of the tractor beam moves toward the projector to
bring the two waves into zero phase difference. The projector maintains
the leading phase all the time, and thus draws the object. It is just
like turning a nut on a threaded rod, sort of. The wave length is
analogous to the distance between the threads, and the frequency is
the number of threads that pass a point when the rod is moved at the
velocity of propagation.
"Now, suppose we consider the threaded rod as being fixed at the
far end, and pulling at the projector end with sufficient power to
stretch the rod. The frequency happens to be definitely fixed by the
primary standard in the control rack. The distance between remains
the same by the constants set up in the tripod and puller beams. The
wave length-factor, striving to satisfy the demands of the tractor
beam, and maintain the correct number of wave lengths as the beam
pulls, will cause the wave length to lengthen. But that tends to
change the frequency-velocity factors. Result, if I'm getting obscure
again, return to the thread analogy. A standard ten thirty-two screw
has thirty-two threads per inch. Stretch it evenly, and disregard
the distortion, and you have, say twenty-four threads per inch.
Our pulling against the sun resulted in a distortion of the wave
length-frequency-velocity factor, and we pull ourselves into the next
notch in space that fits the increased wave length-frequency-velocity
argument.
"So," concluded Billy, "by pushing instead of pulling, we can cram the
wave length down again, and warp space in the other direction. Think?"
"I'll buy it--if you can find something to push against," said
Hendricks.
"Shucks," grinned Billy. "Shove out your tripod a short distance, but
focus them all together. Then shove against that field of focus."
"Said is as good as done," said Hendricks. "Better work, too. Right now
it is raining gold coins and we're wearing a pair of boxing gloves."
"And while we're on the way back--I hope--we might consider this:
Suppose we take two tractors and face them at one another, hold 'em
apart with a trio of pressors, and let the thing go to work. That's
providing that we find any use for this subspace stuff. It might--"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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