Part 19 (1/2)
'I believe I will!”
Steinke's face appeared again on the screen ”Harper and Erickson are here, chief”
”I' you”
”Ohall right,” King said in a tired voice, ”show them in It doesn't matter”
They breezed in, Harper in the van He co at once, oblivious to the Superintendent's ot it - and it all checks out to the ulish”
Harper grinned He was enjoying hisit out to savor it ”Chief, do you remember a feeeks back when I asked for an additional allot to spend it?”
”Yes Coet to the point”
”You kicked at first, but finally granted it Re to show for it, all tied up in pink ribbon It's the greatest advance in radioactivity since Hahn split the nucleus Atomic fuel, chief, atomic fuel, safe, concentrated, and controllable Suitable for rockets, for power plants, for any da showed alert interest for the first time ”You mean a power source that doesn't require the bomb?”
”The bomb? Oh, no, I didn't say that You use the bomb to make the fuel, then you use the fuel anywhere and anyhow you like, with soy of the bomb But you could junk the 's first wild hope of a way out of his dilemma was dashed; he subsided
”Go ahead Tell me about it”
”Well - It's a matter of artificial radioactives Just before I asked for that special research alloter in it, too - found two isotopes of a radioactive that seeoosed 'eave up their latent energy all at once - blew all to hell The inat's whisker ofmass like the bo, ”how that could - ”
”Neither do we, quite - but it works We've kept it quiet until ere sure We checked on e had, and we found a dozen other fuels Probably we'll be able to tailor-make fuels for any desired purpose But here it is” Harper handed King a bound sheaf of typewritten notes which he had been carrying under the ar started to do so Lentz joined him, after a look that was a silent request for permission, which Erickson had answered with his only verbal contribution, ”Sure Doc”
As King read, the troubled feeling of an acutely harassed executive left hie, that of the scientist He enjoyed the controlled and cerebral ecstasy of the impersonal seeker for the elusive truth The e thalaato for the cold fla, he was sane, more nearly completely sane thanperiod there was only an occasional grunt, the clatter of turned pages, a nod of approval At last he put it down
”It's the stuff,” he said ”You've done it, boys It's great; I'ht pink and sed Harper's sle, re approval ”That fine, chief We'd rather hear you say that than get the nobel Prize”
”I think you'll probably get it However - ” the proud light in his eyes died down - ”I' to take any action in this matter”
”Why not, chief?” Harper's tone was bewildered
”I' retired My successor will take over in the near future; this is too big a e in ad retire! Blazes!”
”About the same reason I took you off the bomb - at least, the Directors think so”
”But that's nonsense! You were right to takejumpy But you're another matter - we all depend on you”
”Thanks, Cal - but that's how it is; there's nothing to be done about it”