Rockets in Ursa Major (4 page)

'Well, let us just suppose for a moment that a fleet of ships -- hostile ships if you like -- are really coming in towards the Earth. Then obviously the terrestrial battle fleet must be got into defensive positions around the Earth.'

'Obviously,' said the Minister.

'Well, you can't get upwards of five thousand ships out into space in five minutes.'

`How long d'you need in fact?' asked Sir John.

`In a crisis, three days. For preference, at least a week,' said the Chief of Staff.

`And that means detection as far as Neptune?' said Sir John.

`Quite right, Sir John. Assume a steady deceleration is planned to give a shut-down in velocity by the time the Sun is reached -- or the Earth, for that matter. If you work it out for yourself, you'll find it comes to not much more than a week, a week from Neptune.'

I'll take your word for it,' said the Minister, looking at me.

I was about to ask what happened if there were creatures who could withstand higher forces of deceleration, but thought better of it when I saw the expression on Sir John's face. At this moment the lift doors opened and into the room stepped Colonel Rhodes.

`Please take a seat, Colonel Rhodes,' said the Minister. `Dr Warboys has come up with a new transmitting valve,' said the Chief of Staff, waving his hand in my direction. `Colonel Rhodes, it's possible that you'll be involved in a space patrol in the near future. It will be of the utmost importance to have the best possible radar range. Dr War-boys here may possess a device that will enable you to improve the range we have at present,' finished the Chief of Staff.

`Dr Warboys,' said the Minister, turning to me. 'Does your new transmitting valve differ in principle or detail from existing devices?'

`It's a klystron tube modified in a somewhat unusual way. The increase of power output is surprisingly great, more than I'd hoped for.'

`What's the amount of the increase?' the Chief of Staff asked.

`I'd say a factor of thirty.'

`You mean your new transmitting valve is thirty times more powerful than existing ones?' said the Minister.

`Yes,' I replied.

`Then why hasn't this valve been put into use?' said the Minister.

`Lack of development,' I blurted out.

`That's ridiculous!'

`The new valve was being developed for the new radio the Space Council is building. Unfortunately the whole project is suffering a period of disinterest from the various governments involved, so there is very little money available,' Sir John explained my predicament.

`Well, this is most unfortunate, Dr Warboys,' the Minister said and added, turning to the Chief of Staff, 'Is this what you're looking for?'

`Absolutely. Just what we need. If it works, we'll be able to get quite close to the range we need.'

Can this new valve be fitted into our existing radar systems?' asked Colonel Rhodes briskly.

`I don't see why not. But without precise details of the layout of your ships I couldn't say for certain.'

`Gentlemen. I think this is a matter for Dr Warboys and Colonel Rhodes to thrash out by themselves straight away,' said the Chief of Staff.

`I agree entirely,' said Sir John.

`Good, then this is the situation. We can give you fellows a few hours -- no more -- to find out if this new equipment can be fitted into an existing radar system. Now is there anything either of you wishes to ask?' said the Minister.

`No, I think everything's quite clear,' I said.

`As soon as I can see the valve, we'll know what the situation is,' Rhodes said getting to his feet. I followed suit.

`There's military transport available, Dr Warboys,' said the Chief of Staff.

`Thank you,' I said. It would save time if we were going to hurry back to Cambridge.

Everyone seemed to nod his approval and the signal for our departure.

'How serious is it?' Rhodes said as the lift descended. 'I just don't know, but you must have been involved in a few panics in the past.' I was noncommittal.

Rhodes was very direct. 'Ganges told me what you found before I came up to town. Do you have any idea of what might have happened to Fanshawe and his men?'

'Not really. It's anyone's guess at the moment,' I said, dodging the question.

The lift came to its silent stop. The doors opened and Rhodes marched off down one of the many corridors. About half-way down the passage he stopped, which gave me time to catch up. He was standing waiting for another lift. When I arrived at this point the lift doors opened, revealing a peat big notice on the inside which said:

VEHICLES. MILITARY PERSONNEL ONLY.

Rhodes smiled at me as I read the notice. 'New people to the ministry were always using the lift, so the notice was stuck up.'

'Why not put it on the wall outside the lift?'

'Simple. We'd have all the political big wigs wanting free transport facilities. That's why we had the lift placed half-way down the corridor rather than at the ends with all the other lifts.'

'I suppose we all have our problems.'

Rhodes laughed. The lift stopped and we stepped out on to a roof top overlooking the Whitehall area. At a quick glance it seemed to be the only building in the park.

A manually operated helicopter sat looking rather squat in comparison with the automatic computerized ones.

'Is it still safe to fly these manually?' I said, climbing in.

'Well, we do have trouble with the civil authorities over air corridors, but they are instructed to keep out of our manual flying zone. The police are the worst; they seem to use all the available flying space whether it is necessary or not,' Rhodes said, firing up the machine.

I noticed with amusement that he put on the protective flying helmet with radio transmitting equipment in it.

'Just in case the computers are re-routing helicopters. I can call them up and tell them there's a war on,' Rhodes shouted above the noise.

A couple of police and ambulance helicopters narrowly missed us as we banked sharply and set off north towards Cambridge.

Rhodes was saying something but I couldn't hear him. In desperation he handed me another helmet, and I put it on.

At first there was complete silence. Rhodes looked at me. I shook my head negatively. He fiddled with some knobs and then I was on the air.

The tall chimney of the University Library was now visible.

'My labs are to the West of that library spire up ahead,' I said.

'You mean on the vast science complex,' Rhodes said a little sadly.

'I'm afraid so; gone are the days of laboratories in dark smelly corners.'

'Hold on,' Rhodes said, with a mischievous smile on his face. The helicopter banked sharply and then turned upside down. In this mad attitude we progressed to the landing area within the science complex. Some students below pointed upwards. My head was full of blood, and my stomach began to feel rather unsettled. Rhodes somehow managed to get us the right way up before landing.

'Sorry about that,' Rhodes said as we got out of the helicopter. My legs felt like jelly. 'I used to be in the Acrobatics team when I first learned to fly,' came the sympathetic voice as Rhodes caught my arm. 'Which way?' he said.

I pointed in the direction of the lab, and set off with Rhodes in tow.

The door was locked. No students here today, I thought crossly to myself and pressed the key reader with my forefinger.

'Is that one of the new locks?' Rhodes asked, as the catch unmagnetized itself. I pushed the door open and we went in.

'Yes,' I said. 'Very simple and foolproof.' There's a small computer next to the main one on the complex here, which operates all or virtually all the locks.'

'What activates it?'

'Fingerprints, only those authorized have check prints in the computer which opens the door. Other people pressing the button only ring the bell,' I said proudly.

'What happens if someone else makes you press the button?'

'We have an emergency procedure which alerts the guard and also photographs the intruders, together with ,other subtle devices for identification,' I said, going over to my wall safe. Inside was the developing part of the camera. I took the exposed film, tore off the developing papers and there was a picture of Rhodes and myself.

'It's very good. Hope they hurry up and get these installed at the military base, then I'll know who's raiding my drink cupboard.'

While Rhodes looked round the lab, I took the new valve and the transparent tube containing a metallic wave guide, and started fitting them together.

'Fascinating place. Is this it?' Rhodes said, putting his finger on the tube.

'Yes. The object of this part of the equipment is to get the power matched into the wave guide.'

'Is the wave guide standard? I'm thinking about linking up with our aerial feed,' Rhodes asked.

'There'll have to be a tunable coupling unit, but I can provide that,' I said.

`Good. There appear to be no insuperable difficulties in getting it into one of our space destroyers. How long would it take to fit?' said Rhodes, doing some hand measurements.

The telephone started buzzing.

`I'll get it,' said Rhodes. He flicked the switch and the Chief of Staff came up on the screen.

'Colonel Rhodes. We've decided to send your stoup out immediately with the new radar equipment.' `Yes, sir.'

`Warboys, how long will it take you to fit?' 'Several days, I should think,' I replied.

`Fine, it is now 12.52. You will take off at 15.00 hours. Will this give you time?' said the Chief of Staff. 'Yes, I think so,' I said.

'Good. Colonel, you'll be responsible for anything Dr Warboys needs.'

'Yes, sir,' said Rhodes, then the phone went dead. 'Amazing. What would happen if the valve is no good?' I said.

'The Military don't worry about that. It's just got to work,' Rhodes said. He laughed at the look of dismay and horror spreading on my face. I'd just realized they were going to fire me into space.

RHODES left the lab shortly after the conversation with his Chief of Staff, and went to Mildenhall to arrange for his own space craft to be brought by rail from Stansted. This way the rest of his group would take off from Stansted while we could take off from Mildenhall, allowing me more time to organize myself.

I put all the equipment that I'd need into a tool box and carefully packed up the valve and wave guides. I wrote a message on the blackboard for my students telling them I'd be away for a few days, picked up my tool box and guides and returned to College. Once there I hurriedly changed into a pair of working overalls. As I finished zipping myself in there was a buzz from the door bell.

A young soldier stood to attention on the doorstep. `Are you ready, sir?' he said, as I opened the door to let him in.

`Yes,' I said and after a glance round, we left. He had kept the helicopter running. I put the tool box behind my scat and got in.

`Would you mind fastening your safety harness, sir?' said the driver as we took off.

`Why?' I said with curiosity.

`There's a strong wind coming up from the southwest, and my orders are to get you to Mildenhall without incident,' said the young man.

At around two hundred feet I began to realize what he meant. The manual helicopters had no stabilizing gyros on them and the strong wind was throwing us around like a small ship in a typhoon.

On arrival I felt very seasick. The driver put the helicopter neatly down almost on top of Colonel Ganges' well-polished boots. Ganges took one look at me and then roared with laughter.

`Man, you look terrible,' Ganges said, still laughing.

`Thank you for those few words of encouragement,' I said, with as much coldness as I could muster. Ganges just guffawed.

The destroyer stood on the concrete not far from the DSP 15 exploratory space craft. The crews of those early ships must have had immense courage to fly into the unknown with a ship as frail as the DSP 15, in comparison with Rhodes' bull-nosed ship. The driver stood a little way off with my tool box and guides in his hand.

`How long do you think it will be before you have this valve gadget working?' Ganges said, as we moved off towards the ship.

`I'm not sure. I suppose the slower we go the better,' I said, pondering on Ganges' expression.

`Don't think you'll be traveling much slower than usual,' said Ganges.

`Why?' I said, wondering what traveling in a space ship would be like.

`The orders are to proceed as quickly as possible to your observing point along with the rest of the group from Stansted.'

`Well, I suppose I'll be able to manage,' I said, beginning to feel a few misgivings at volunteering for such an operation. Surely there were good army electronic engineers who could do this job. Did it really need a physicist?

We reached the destroyer. Ganges stretched out his hand. 'Good luck.'

`Thanks, you shouldn't be so pessimistic about things.' He grunted.

The young soldier who'd brought me from Cambridge handed over my equipment. I stepped on to the outside lift platform, pressed the button and was shot skywards, which didn't help the sick feeling in my stomach.

`Hello, Warboys,' said Rhodes, greeting me at the small hatch.

`Here,' I said, handing him my gear. 'I think you'd better call me Dick.'

`All right, mine's Colonel.'

`You're what!' I said, banging my head against the low ceiling in the air lock.

`My father was always very military minded. He was very disillusioned at having two daughters, so when I came along he must have been very excited and confused, as my birth certificate is registered as "Colonel Rhodes",' Rhodes said with a chuckle.

`What an introduction. Colonel Colonel Rhodes,' I said with great amusement.