An Engineer's Mettle
: Wanted 7 Fearless EngineersIn the morning the earthmen were called together. They came with smiling
faces, which slowly changed to apprehension.
There were many suggestions in as many minutes, but none that gave a
possibility of accomplishing the impossible. They had to stretch the
fuel--without visible means of stretching it!
The women believed the meeting was a routine course in mechanics, and
went on enjoying their
bothered by a knotty question about the machinery to account for their
worried concentration. It would have been a terrible handicap if the
women discovered the truth.
Three lix passed with little change. The fuel had been cut down for a
while, but the ship didn't hold its course. Every tube had been fired to
hold the direct route for Jupiter. They were constantly cutting into the
meager supply that remained--and had to overcome the deficiency!
Due to the slight conservation of fuel the ship had been operating far
below efficiency, and the cold of space began to seep through the walls.
This affected the dome people more than the earthmen, and they suffered
torture. Any change in temperature was unknown to them, they were
chilled at a few degrees below normal heat.
Suddenly, during dinner on the third evening, Peter Yarbro jumped up
from the table. The other men fastened eager eyes on his face, while the
women watched in amazement.
He started to speak, then remembered the women, sat down quietly. "I--I
think I've found the answer--to our problem! If you will join me in
the hold, when we finish eating, I would like to talk it over with you."
Mrs. Yarbro was even more amazed. "Peter! I'm surprised at you. Jumping
up from the table so excited, just because you happened to think of the
answer to a problem! You ought to be ashamed."
In spite of his worries Dick lowered his head to hide the smile. If only
Peter's wife knew what that problem was, she might not think it so
strange.
Hardly a man touched his food, and as soon as they were out of earshot
of the women, he spoke what was in his mind. The crew heard him at the
table and many of them gathered to listen. For the first time in their
lives they were worried. Their lives depended on the earthmen before
they even reached their planet.
Yarbro hesitated. "I'm not so sure now, that I have found the answer.
When it came to me, I thought it was simple, but now it seems more like
a dream.
"Since knowing that the fuel was low I've racked my brain for something
that might be used--and it had to be on the ship. Every other man was
looking for a mechanical answer, and my efforts would be of little use.
So I've searched for a chemical.
"Water is the only liquid in any quantity. I discarded it so many
times that it left a headache, but my search always came back to the
same place. It's the only thing we've got.
"All other liquids are in too small amounts, even if they could be used,
and the ship is equipped only for chemical fuel--in liquid form!
"At dinner when I became so excited, I thought that water would do the
trick. Now I don't know. It has oxygen in large amounts, which is
vitally needed, but that's the only advantage.
"Even if we dared try, it might injure the tubes. Still I believe it's
the only chance of salvation. It's the one substance on board, in any
large quantity. What do you think?"
There wasn't a sound as the minutes passed. Each man searched
frantically for the slightest hope; searched for the one chance in a
thousand!
Dick finally broke the silence. "What is your plan, Peter? You must
have thought of something?"
"No, that's just the trouble. I thought that water might mix with the
fuel, even fire with it. It was only a brain storm I'm afraid."
After a moment Dick spoke again. "It can't be! Since there is no other
substance--we must use water! There has to be a way--and we've got to
find it! We might as well use up the water and die of thirst, as to
drift around in space until we starve to death, or die in the dive at
Jupiter."
Twice Mrs. Martin came down the ramp to take her husband to bed, but
Dick sent her away. The men would stay there until they had found a
solution--they had to! The fuel was fast disappearing!
* * * * *
Morquil still sat in the background. The other men from Jupiter had gone
to their quarters. He could offer no suggestion, but listened carefully
to every word they spoke. Finally he stood up.
"I hope that you can forgive me. In the last three lixs I have regretted
that I ever saw your earth. It were better that my people die, than for
us to carry people from a happy planet to die in space--because of our
stupidity. We are no better than children without cares or worries. The
men of the crew realized the risk, before they left the domes--but it is
not your fault!"
"Aw, sit down you big-headed numbskull!" McCarthy's voice boomed out.
"We don't blame you! We'll find some way to run this crate, and get
there in one piece. You just made us go to work before we expected. Why!
A problem like this is simple on earth--they'd solve it in no time!
You just go to bed and stop worrying. We'll have everything fixed by
morning."
Morquil's expression changed slightly, and he almost smiled. He started
for the ramp as if taking the words literally, but half way up he faced
the little gathering again. "Thank you, John. But I haven't forgotten
that you were a famous liar in your home town--and you haven't lost your
ability. Thank you anyway, you're very kind."
When McCarthy turned toward the others, he looked rather sheepish. But
the forced smiles he received made him feel a lot better.
Hours passed, while each man told everything he had known about water.
At last Dick stood up. "We've covered every possible reaction, and many
that are seemingly impossible, but have overlooked one very vital point
that will either help or hinder greatly.
"The fuel is subjected to terrific pressure. Naturally, any water that
was used would receive the same treatment. In the compression chamber
the pressure rises very fast, which must develop high temperature. The
result is that we would not have water--we'd have steam! It would be
almost dry steam!
"Water in the liquid form couldn't discharge oxygen fast enough to
affect the fuel, but as steam it might. There is a good chance that
steam may even increase the explosive power to a point that we can't
even imagine. There's only one way to find out--try it!
"Every man here will admit that John has the most practical mechanical
brain. It will be his job to find a means of injecting the water in the
proper amounts. The rest of us can try to find any kinks in the system
that he suggests. He knows every piece of equipment on board, and can
pick whatever is best suited for the purpose."
As Dick sat down, John got to his feet. "This is one time that I'm ahead
of you. While you've been talking I've been planning a way to do just
that. There's an extra firing tube that can hold the pressure we want.
"Fuel for all the blasts is compressed in one chamber, then discharged
through any desired tube. If we put the water under the pressure, with
the hydraulic system, and let it seep into the chamber at a set
rate--it might work! Valves can control the steam perfectly, and
regulate the flow to whatever is desired.
"The tube will have to be shut off from the fuel tank every few hours,
to be filled. Preheating the water will develop steam pressure, and it
won't draw enough from the hydraulic system to affect the operation of
the blasts.
"What do you say, shall we try it? It means shutting off all but the
emergency tube for several hours, and it will be cold!"
* * * * *
Within five minutes they were hauling the heavy tube from the storage
room. In an hour everything was ready to assemble, and each man knew
exactly what work he was to do. A pipe line was run from the water
tanks, to fill the steam chamber in position.
Dick was building an electric heating unit to encase the entire tube,
which could be regulated for any desired temperature.
Half of the rest period had passed when the chamber was finished and
they were ready to cut an opening in the compression unit. Perspiration
poured down the body of every man, but not from the exertion. Each
minute that passed ate deeper into the fuel. If water couldn't replace
the liquid, they were helpless.
They wanted to install the tube, while the women were asleep. The ship
would be too cold for comfort for a long time after the blasts could be
started again. When the heating units in the hull were shut off it would
become freezing inside.
Men raced through the ship, stopping at their staterooms on the way.
Dick dropped three extra covers over Dolores without disturbing her,
then slipped into the heaviest clothing that he owned.
Each man was occupied in his own room, in the same way. Heavy coats were
taken to the men at the controls while the remainder of the crew were
sent to a room with an emergency heating unit.
In fifteen minutes they were back at the compression chamber, and at the
touch of a button the blasts were silenced from the control room.
By the time an opening was cut in the heavy tanks, the cold had begun to
creep into the ship. The men worked desperately, and for a while
perspiration dampened their clothing. Then the chill crept deeper--and
they shivered. Their fingers grew numb, and they had to warm them over
a small electric unit, but the opening slowly enlarged beneath their
torches.
When the tube was fitted into the hole, and the metal began to flow
around the edges, even the torches seemed to throw little heat. Dick
knew his nose was frosted, and warned the others not to touch their nose
or ears. According to John's watch it required three hours to fit the
tube in place.
When they rang for the power to be turned on, they waited in vain. When
minutes passed without reaction, they glanced at each other in
consternation. Brown and Martin raced up the ramp while the others
waited. Within a few minutes the tubes began to fire and warmth slowly
drove back the numbing cold.
Water pipes had burst, and they hurried to stop the leaks. The main
tanks were uninjured, as the cold hadn't penetrated the big supplies in
storage.
Dick suddenly realized that Brown and Martin hadn't returned. When he
reached the upper deck all of the women were gathered near the room
where the crew had been left. The thermometer was only fifty degrees,
even then, and they shivered in heavy coats.
Every dome man was stretched out on the floor! As Dick stepped within,
his heart almost stopped beating--but they were only unconscious! His
breath escaped in a long sigh, after holding it for almost a minute.
Brown and Martin were trying to revive the prone forms. The control men
lay beside the others, brought there by the two earthmen. The eyes of
first one then another, slowly opened, and they looked around in
amazement. Cold affected them like an anaesthetic, causing complete
unconsciousness.
When the ship reached normal warmth, they felt as good as ever. It
hadn't been cold enough to freeze them, in their section, and not a man
was injured. When they understood what happened, the men hurried back to
the controls.
* * * * *
The heavy coils were soon fastened around the tube, and it was filled
through a valve on the upper side. A gauge was set to register the
pressure of the vapor within. They decided to raise steam pressure
enough to equal the compression of the fuel.
It required fifteen minutes for the water to reach the boiling point,
while they nervously held their watches. They could keep track of
minutes and hours, although there was no longer day and night in their
lives. According to their figures, they now ate dinner at three o'clock
in the morning, and went to bed in the early afternoon.
They held their breath when the steam valve was opened. It moved slowly
under Dick's fingers, while a thousand questions raced through every
mind.
"Would it silence the blasts? Would it put them out of commission
permanently? Was that moment, and the turning of that valve, the end of
existence for them all?"
Dick glanced at the gauge on the tube, then jerked the valve shut. The
pressure was still far below that of the fuel. He turned the heating
unit on full, and watched the gauge climb higher. They didn't understand
the numerals of the domed cities, but knew the pressure was getting
terrifically high.
When he opened the valve again, the steam gauge did not rise! It held
almost steady. The hiss of escaping steam, sounded through the heavy
metal faintly.
The tubes began to fire spasmodically! Dick bit his lips, as he opened
the valve a little wider. John McCarthy wiped the sweat from his
forehead, as every face turned white as chalk.
They fired evenly again!!! The steam was working through the
mixture--discharging through the blasts!
* * * * *
They felt their bodies sway under the effects of acceleration and
exultance filled them. There was some reaction, at least!
Morquil appeared on the ramp, his face lighted by a smile. "What have
you done? The ship is traveling at almost twice the speed that it was
before! Is it all right?"
Dick sat down hard. Not a man in the crowd was able to answer. Success
had left them speechless. Barrow was the first to recover his voice.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, Dick! We took three separate observations, and each showed the
same result--almost double normal speed! Does it mean what you wanted?
Can we reach the domes?"
"I hope so, Morquil. If the steam has made that much difference, we'll
get there without trouble. The water must be conserved as much as
possible--and hope that it lasts. Whether it increases the power of the
fuel, or simply creates an additional body to drive against, is not
important. We're getting there!"
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