On the Trail of the Space Pirates_ A Tom Corbett Space Cadet Adventure - Carey Rockwell [442]
"You certainly deserve an answer to that question," said Commander Walters warmly. "You've contributed your services to this operation absolutely blindly. Now you should know everything." He paused and looked at Hemmingwell and Connel, who nodded in return. "Carter," he resumed, "we are going to create a spaceship that can launch a large projectile filled with cargo and send it to any small area."
Carter Devers' face lighted up. "You mean, you are going to fire payloads from space freighters instead of landing with them?"
"Exactly," said Walters. "These freighters will deliver mail and supplies to out-of-the-way settlements that do not have a spaceport large enough to handle the giant freighters and have to depend on surface transport from the larger cities."
Carter Devers shook his head slowly. "This is the most amazing thing I've ever heard of in my life."
"I thought you'd be surprised, Carter," said Walters, his face glowing with pleasure. "The big item, of course, is to lick the problem of standardizing the receivers for the projectiles. They must be lightweight, easily assembled, and precision made, since it's going to have an electronic gismo inside for the projectile to 'home' on."
Professor Hemmingwell grunted. "That electronic gismo, as you call it, is the real idea behind the whole operation."
"How is that, Professor?" asked Devers.
"Well, it works on this principle," began Hemmingwell. "The receiver will send out a distinctive radar beam. In the spaceship, the projectile designated for that receiver will be tuned in to the frequency of that beam and fired from the ship. A homing device, built into the projectile will take over, guiding it right down the beam to its destination."
"And how does that radar beam work?" asked Devers.
"That," said Connel stiffly, "is a military secret."
"Of course," nodded Devers, smiling. "I was just curious."
"Well, now that we're agreed on a site for the operation," said Professor Hemmingwell, "is there anything else you want to discuss, Commander?"
"Not for the moment, Professor," replied the commandant of Space Academy. "You have any more questions, Major Connel?"
When Connel shook his head, Devers spoke up again.
"There is something else I would like to know, if it isn't a breach of military secrecy," he said with a smile at Connel. "I don't remember seeing anything about this project in the bills sent before the Solar Council. When was it authorized?"
"It wasn't," snapped Hemmingwell. "It was blocked before it came to a vote. So I ran around the whole Solar Alliance, begging and borrowing the money to finance the project myself."
"And the Solar Guard is just lending technical assistance and facilities," supplied Walters. "Of course, should the project succeed, we will go before the Solar Council with an emergency request to incorporate the idea into the defense of all Solar Guard outposts."
"Private capital, eh?" said Devers, turning to look at the professor admiringly. "You are a very brave man, Professor Hemmingwell, to risk so much. And, I might add, you must be an excellent salesman to sell Solar Alliance bankers your ideas."
"Common sense," snorted the professor. "Plain horse sense."
"Still," insisted Devers, "most of the bankers with whom I've ever tried to talk common sense were horses." As everyone laughed, he turned to Walters. "Now, just what do you want me to do, Commander?"
"Carter, you've done so much for this project already that I'm going to give you a rest," said Walters.
"I don't understand."
"From now on," Major Connel broke in, "the project will be in the hands of the professor. If he needs anything, he'll tell Steve Strong. If Strong can't fulfill the request, he'll pass it on to Commander Walters, and if the commander feels it necessary to have your help, he will contact you."
"You understand, of course," said Walters, trying to soften the major's flat statement.
"Of course," replied Devers