Operation Interstellar (1950)

by George O. Smith

  “I am Grant Lewdan,” said the third. “Has the Z-wave ever been tried in the depths of interstellar space?”

  “Yes.”

  “Did it work?”

  “Up to a certain point.”

  “Then why didn’t they pursue it?”

  “This answer demands that we all understand the psychology of the human being and the mechanics of the scientific method. I will answer this first by analog:

  “Presume for the moment that radio cannot propagate across a space that communication has not crossed previously. Then consider Marconi on his first attempt to send radio waves across a hundred feet of vacant lot. What is the method used in testing an unknown method of communication? The transmitter is started, and the operator either calls or signals by waving his hands, that the transmitter is now working. As soon as the hand signal is seen the receiver is checked, found to be working. Remember, this radio works because of the previous linkage by communication in accordance with our hypothesis. Success is noted.

  “Then the distance is increased by many miles from mountain top to mountain top and a blinker system is employed to carry the experimental information back and forth. Again the transmitter is started and the blinker used to inform the other party that he is to watch for the radio’s response. Again, it works, since communications have been established. For the third time, the radio equipment is separated by the antipodes of the earth and a telephone or telegraph connection is established. Again the transmitter is started and the signal is sent; again there is success. Now, gentlemen, the inference is that radio will work to a distance encompassing the entire earth.

  “Now postulate a spacecraft taking this same equipment to the Moon. Lacking radio, no means of communication are practical. Let us say Venus instead, gentlemen, since a magnesium flare might be used from Luna. So, on Venus, there is no means of communication other than radio, which depends first upon the establishment of other means of communication ere it will work.

  “A failure is noted.

  “Now,” smiled Paul, “this is what happened in deep space. I would like to read an excerpt from the Communications Expedition Number Three:

  “ ‘… Two spacecraft were dispatched from Pluto and proceeded outward for approximately one light hour as established by the timing wave from Pluto. The Z-wave was tested and found available . . here follows a couple of columns of figures regarding signal strength and so on. ‘… At one hundred light hours, the same test was made and found successful …’ At this point, gentlemen, remember that they used the timing wave from Pluto to establish their distance, which established radio communications.

  “Now, remember the techniques employed in such tactics. It is not necessary for the spacecraft to wait a hundred hours for the arrival of the wave. The wave is sent forth a hundred hours before the ship gets there so that no waiting time will be necessary. In fact, they tried it at one thousand light hours, since that was the distance previously established by the timing wave from Pluto. Again it worked successfully. The timing wave had been started about twelve hundred hours before, and as usual, it was so-coded that at any point along the line, the ship could stop, listen in, and mark the time. It was, sort of, like a rope with a series of knots in it.

  “Having made this approximation, the ships went into deep space, about three light years distant from Sol where they were not closer than three light years from any star. At this distance, the radio signal from Pluto had not arrived, and they had no idea of waiting for three years for it since they did not conceive of Grayson’s Principle. But they communicated with one another.

  “One light hour, waiting for the timing wave, and it was shown successful. I read again:

  “ ‘At ten light hours, there was no success. Our technical officer then spent many hours checking his equipment while the navigating officer used the scooter to run back and forth with Spacecraft BurAst 7,331 to ascertain whether the Z-wave gear was in operation. The arrival of the timing wave distracted his attention for a period of about five minutes during which he established the separation between the two ships. Upon returning to the Z-wave equipment and completing his many investigations as to sensitivity and function, he was satisfied that it was in operating shape. At this point it was tried again, and twenty minutes of two-way conversation ensued, proving that the Z-wave was operative at a distance of at least one hundred and seven point three eight light hours, as established by the timing wave. Second Technical Sergeant Frankford Brown was reprimanded for removing the Z-wave gear from the rack and panel and placing it on the test-bench and thus wasting many hours.

  ” ‘The equipment was again tried at one thousand light hours, but no success was found even though ten or twelve hours ensued during the listening test. Because our supplies were now running low, the test was abandoned at this distance and …’ Here, gentlemen, follows an account of at least a hundred hours of testing constantly with the two ships at varying distances. Success came sometimes, complete failure at others. There is a complete set of spacial maps, but these show no contours of signal strength nor correlation.

  “Only a man who believed that the Z-wave followed radio communications would establish such a correlation.”

  “And how was this correlation located?” asked Lewdan. “Because I noted that when failure came, it was noted at distances, ‘Approximately ten light hours, … fifteen light hours… three light hours.’ But when success came, it came at, “Seven, point nine-eight, or fourteen, point four-two light hours. In other words, gentlemen, they knew their separation only when success came and they could measure the distance accurately by the radio timing wave.”

  During this time, the hands were dropping as the answer to one question answered the questions of others. At the end, there were no more hands upraised. Thorndyke then said: “We are now ready to continue with this lecture.”

  Paul took a gulp of water and started off again:

  “I have one other item to bring forth. I have been working with the galactic survey—” and Paul went on for many minutes, explaining in detail what they had been doing and why. He finished up with his determination to test the Z-wave in accordance with his own theory. Then he said: “I have here a recording made over the Z-wave receiver I took with me to Proxima Centauri I. As you know, the interstellar beacon was erected on the top of the Z-wave Central Building. No visual connection seems necessary, but we all know that dielectric or permeabilic coupling serves in many places far better than a conducting link; it is my idea that similar factors to permeability and capacity will be found in the Z-wave. However Z-wave Central is all supplied from one power line. Here is a physical connection.

  “Upon my arrival at the Proxima Station, this Z-wave recorder was started with the radio. You will hear, in the recording, which was made through a microphone to pick up the room-sounds as well as the Z-wave broadcast, the arrival of the radio signal from Terra, the timing signals, a few of my own comments made, I must admit, in the stress of enthusiasm, and finally, the terran side of an interplanetary Z-wave conversation between a woman and her man. While I deplore any public airing of the personal affairs of any man and woman, this is of the utmost importance to Civilization, while the subject of her conversation is such that she can have only pride in having it made into history. For,” he added softly, “hers is the voice of true, honest affection, faith and trust in her mate, and such is well worthy of a monument in the halls of history!”

  The re was a round of good-natured applause at this moment. And then the recording rang out:

  . . but it won’t be long, my dear… of course, it seems so… Do that, by all means… In a month, you say?… I’m very happy about that…”

  the signal faded and in the background the audience could hear the measured cadence of the radio timing signals, with a few of Paul’s own personal comments of exultation. Then the Z-wave signal came in again,

  “… Terry said so… How do I know?… By all means, my dear…”

  Paul turned the re
cording off amid the thunderous roar of applause.

  CHAPTER 9

  With a smile of self-confidence, Paul faced the cheering auditorium and gloried in the praise. It—this moment—was payment in plenty for years of struggle and of being a third-rate voice crying against the stone wall of authority.

  He took their cries of praise with a deferent attitude, but remained on the podium, which indicated that he had more to tell. They subsided after minutes of wild applause, and Paul continued: “Across the galaxy between here and Neosol,’’ he said, waving a hand which caused a wall curtain to rise, showing a planar map of the star region between the two inhabited systems, crisscrossed with red and blue lines, “the galactic survey has a veritable network of radio beacon signals. From star to star they go, directly and in cross-triangulation, in collateral paths and in long sweeps. The red lines show what distance these radio signals have progressed as of three days ago; the length of the continuing blue lines show the distance between the stars yet to travel ere contact is made. Such is the separation of stars in our galaxy that the next three years will see greater numbers of final contacts made. I shall be a busy man, for I will be making these final, contacts one by one until the entire pathway— tortuous as it will be at first”—is open to Neosol.

  “Gentlemen, they drove the Golden Spike in 1869, coupling America’s East and West by railroad. Three years, two hours, and forty-five minutes from this very instant, we shall drive the Golden Key home in the Z-wave link between Mother Earth and her distant daughter Neoterra!”

  Again came the thunder of applause.

  “Thank you,” said Paul. “Are there any more questions?”

  “One,” called a voice from the rear.

  “Yes?”

  “This recording of the Z-wave was made from Z-wave Central?”

  “Yes!”

  “Just for the purpose of circumventing any such odium of doubt, is there any method by which you can definitely determine the time of origin of this recorded transmission?”

  “Not at the present. It can be established by the radio beacon records that I was on Proxima I at that time—what I hope to do is to have the unknown woman come forward and identify herself and the time she used the Z-wave.”

  “Then other than that there is no way of proving that this recording might have been made on terra a month before you left?”

  “I—”

  But Thorndyke interrupted. “Gentlemen,” he said, “no man in his right mind would attempt a fraud upon this body. I have no doubt. I firmly believe that Paul Grayson has presented evidence that he has collected in true scientific honesty!”

  This brought another round of cheering. And in the midst of it all, the questioner came walking down the aisle toward the platform. Out of the shadows he came, and Paul tensed for the imminent battle of wits, for the questioner was none other than Chadwick Haedaecker.

  “Where did you get that recording?” he shouted over the cheers of the crowd.

  “On Proxima.”

  “On the Z-wave?”

  “Yes.”

  “Doctor Thorndyke, may I have the stage for a moment?”

  Thorndyke nodded, wondering what this was all about.

  Paul stepped aside as Haedaecker took the podium.

  “Gentlemen,” said Haedaecker, “for some number of months, my young friend here has been avidly attempting to force me into trying experiments made years before. He has a personal, ingrained belief that Haedaecker’s Theory is at fault. You have heard his alleged recording—”

  “Alleged!” stormed Paul.

  Haedaecker held up a hand. Then he pointed out to the audience. “Doctor Haddon, could this message have passed through the Z-wave Central?”

  A hush fell on the auditorium. Haddon rose and cleared his throat.

  “According to my records, Z-wave Central was inoperative for a fourteen day period immediately following Paul Grayson’s departure for Proxima Centauri I. Certain repairs were needed, and the Z-wave equipment was shut down for that period. All Z-wave messages terminating on Terra were shunted through the Auxiliary Tandem Z-wave Station at Oahu, Hawaii. The Proxima Beam was shut down, too, since the radio signal emanating from it would not reach Proxima for four years, and that which Paul Grayson was to measure had been emitted four years ago. It was not deemed reasonable to maintain the beam—”

  Paul gulped. “This is preposterous,” he roared.

  Haedaecker merely smiled. “So is the truth,” he said sourly.

  Thorndyke said: “Then Doctor Haedaecker, it is patently impossible for the energy relation to have caused the transmission of the Z-wave such as Paul Grayson suggests?”

  “Impossible.”

  Thorndyke faced Paul. “Then why was this farce perpetrated?”

  “This was no farce,” Paul almost shouted. “Haedaecker has always discouraged anything at all that would cause him to retract his own precious theory. He will lie, cheat, and steal—”

  Thorndyke turned to Haedaecker. “Can this be true?”

  Haedaecker smiled genially. “Grayson is young and dreamily hopeful,” he said blandly. “Grayson has all of the hope and faith for mankind that a Saviour, a Saint, or a complete idiot might have. He believes firmly that if enough people want something to obtain, by sheer effort, will-power, and determination, they can make it so.”

  “But why was this done?”

  “Grayson hoped to stir up enough hope to have a research group assigned to crack this impossible problem.”

  “It is not impossible!” Now Paul was shouting.

  Haedaecker shook his head. “You have no evidence whatever. You are now where you have always been. You base your argument on a hope and a prayer but have nothing concrete to show for it.” Haedaecker faced the auditorium with a raised hand. “I am a physicist,” he thundered. “And I have been reviled by my former employee, Grayson, for attempting to suppress any ideas that would show Haedaecker’s Theory might be in error. This is a cruel attack. Unwarranted and unkind. Like my fellows, I firmly believe that theory always must be bent to follow fact; that when any theory is confronted by experimental evidence to the contrary, it is the theory that must be changed, because the fact remains indisputable! Let but .one man show me the error in Haedaecker’s Theory, and it will be relegated to the discard by no one quicker than Haedaecker, myself! God Knows, gentlemen, I despair of offering a theory that stands against the innermost wishes of mankind!”

  Thorndyke turned to Grayson. “Where did this recording come from?”

  “I made it on Proxima!”

  “Possibly,” said Haedaecker scathingly, “but by what method?”

  “It was made honestly!” shouted Paul.

  “Honestly,” sneered Haedaecker. “With both Z-wave Central off the air, and the radio beacon inoperative; both important factors in your pet idea were not running at the time you claim that this recording was made!”

  Paul shook his head angrily. “If the Z-wave Central and the beacon were turned off,” he stormed bitterly, “then how did I receive this on my Z-wave Receiver?”

  Haedaecker’s voice was wholly scornful. **A well-planned script,” he said, “written and acted by an accomplished actress, recorded by Grayson—doubtless, Mister Grayson your plea that this unknown woman on your record come forward for honor and identification might be accomplished. Which of your many girl friends did this?” snapped Haedaecker with his sudden verbal attack.

  “No one—” Paul stopped as the familiar voice on his recording went through his brain as it had so often since he heard it on Proxima I: ’… but it won’t be long, my dear… Of course, it seems so… Do that, by all means…’ and as the well-remembered voice seemed to speak aloud, Paul recalled another voice, the voice of a most attractive woman, replying to his suggestion that he call her: ‘Do that, by all means.’

  Then Paul knew. Not only the voice, but the mannerism.

  ‘Do that…’

  Not truly a command, but far more than mer
e acquiescence. That was Nora Phillips’ way, her voice, her mannerism.

  A cold sweat broke out on Paul Grayson’s forehead. Two men had died because of this. Why? True, both were criminals, but what possible attraction could Paul’s grand dream of interstellar communications have for a thief, a felon, and a murderer?

  Two men had died, and then as Haedaecker’s technicians cut off the hoped-for sources of signals from Z-wave Central, Nora Phillips had come forward to supply Paul with the necessary evidence to success.

  Why? Certainly she could not hope that his unsupported story would stand up against the certain statement that Z-wave Central was down and out. Besides, there was not time for a spacecraft to get to Proxima I between the time that Z-wave Central went off the air and the time that Paul recorded the signal. Had Nora Phillips been on Proxima?

  Someone had!

  Someone had been there, lying in wait for Paul Grayson— for what inexplicable reason Paul could not begin to name. And someone else had been there, too, lying in wait for the interference. Someone had irrevocably removed the criminal lying in wait for Paul, and then had blithely furnished Paul with the signal he had been waiting four long years to hear.

  The answer was hidden behind the heavy mahogany door at 7111 Bridge Street, despite the placid appearance of a man retired from business, his elderly wife, and doddering man-servant. For Nora Phillips had disappeared behind that door.

  “What have you to say for yourself, young man?” demanded Thorndyke.

  Paul blinked at the chairman. He was completely stunned, absolutely beaten, shocked to the core. He shook his head. “I swear—” he began.

  He was interrupted by the shout of “Fraud!” from the rear of the auditorium. Instantly the place was in a violent uproar, those who had applauded the loudest were now shouting for Paul’s head.

  “Fraud!”