"I believe you can guess the source of that breeze we had there? It
would make a wonderful air-conditioning unit."
"Dick Arcot," began Morey, his voice tight with suppressed excitement,
"I would like to be able to use this invention. I know enough of the
economics of the thing, if not its science, to know that the apparatus
before us is absolutely invaluable. I couldn't afford to buy the rights
on it, but I want to use it if you'll let me. It means a new era in
transcontinental air travel!"
He turned sharply to Fuller. "Fuller, I want you to help Arcot with the
ship to chase the Pirate. You'll get the contract to design the new
airliners. Hang the cost. It'll run into billions--but there will be no
more fuel bills, no oil bills, and the cost of operation will be
negligible. Nothing but the Arcot short wave tubes to buy--and each one
good for twenty-five thousand hours service!"
"You'll get the rights on this if you want them, of course," said Arcot
quietly. "You're maintaining these laboratories for me, and your son
helped me work it out. But if Fuller can move over here tomorrow, it
will help things a lot. Also I'd like to have some of your best
mechanics to make the necessary machines, and to start the power units."
"It's done," Morey snapped.
III
Early the next morning Fuller moved his equipment over to the laboratory
and set up his table for work. There Arcot and Morey joined him, and the
designing of the new machine was started.
"First, let's get some idea of the most advisable shape," Fuller began
methodically. "We'll want it streamlined, of course; roughly speaking, a
cylinder modified to fit the special uses to which it will be put. But
you probably have a general plan in mind, Arcot. Suppose you sketch it
for us."
The big physicist frowned thoughtfully. "Well, we don't know much about
this yet, so we'll have to work it out. You'll have plenty of fun
figuring out strains in this machine, so let's be safe and use a factor
of safety of five. Let's see what we'll need.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account