The Long Way
By GEORGE O. SMITH
Illustrated by Kramer
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Astounding Science-Fiction, April 1944.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Don Channing stood back and admired his latest acquisition with all ofthe fervency of a high school girl inspecting her first party dress.It was so apparent, this affection between man and gadget, that theworkmen who were now carrying off the remnants of the packing case didso from the far side of the bench so that they would not come betweenthe director of communications and the object of his affection. Sointent was Channing in his adoration of the object that he did nothear the door open, nor the click of high heels against the plasticflooring. He was completely unaware of his surroundings until Ardensaid:
"Don, what off earth is that?"
"Ain't she a beaut?" breathed Channing.
"Jilted for a jimcrank," groaned Arden. "Tell me, my quondam husband,what is it?"
"Huh?" asked Don, coming to life once more.
"In plain, unvarnished words of one cylinder, what is that ... that,that?"
"Oh, you mean the transmission tube?"
"How do you do?" said Arden to the big tube. "Funny-looking thing, notlike any transmitting tube I've ever seen before."
"Not a transmitting tube," explained Channing. "It is one of thosepower transmission tubes that Baler and Carroll found on the Martiandesert."
"I presume that is why the etch says: 'Made by Terran Electric,Chicago'?"
Channing laughed. "Not one found—there was only one found. This is acarbon copy. They are going to revolutionize the transmission of powerwith 'em."
"Funny-looking gadget."
"Not so funny. Just alien."
"Know anything about it?"
"Not too much. But I've got Barney Carroll coming out here and a coupleof guys from Terran Electric. I'm going to strain myself to keep fromtinkering with the thing until they get here."
"Can't you go ahead? It's not like you to wait."
"I know," said Channing. "But the Terran Electric boys have sewed upthe rights to this dinkus so tight that it is squeaking. Seems to besome objection to working on them in the absence of their men."
"Why?"
"Probably because Terran Electric knows a good thing when they seeit. Barney's latest 'gram said that they were very reluctant to rentthis tube to us. Legally they couldn't refuse, but they know darnedwell that we're not going to run power in here from Terra—or anywhereelse. They know we want it for experimentation, and they feel that itis their tube and that if any experimentation is going to take place,they're going to do it."
The workmen returned with two smaller cases; one of each they placed onbenches to either side of the big tube. They knocked the boxes apartand there emerged two smaller editions of the center tube—and evenArden could see that these two were quite like the forward half and thelatter half, respectively, of the larger tube.
"Did you buy 'em out?" she asked.
"No," said Don simply. "This merely makes a complete circuit."
"Explain that one, please."
"Sure. This one on the left is the input-terminal tube which they callthe power-end. The good old D. C. goes in across these two terminals.It emerges from the big end, here, and bats across in a beam ofintangible something-or-other until it gets to the relay tube whereit is once more tossed across to the load-end tube. The power