“I don’t believe so, Bud,” Tom replied thoughtfully. “We don’t know how strong the crows’ force may be, nor how far their operating field extends. Once the drone is outside the hangar, it won’t be protected by the Queen’s Tomasite shielding.”
“Hm-m, you’ve got a point there,” Bud said, a vision of the drone falling to its doom crossing his mind. “Drones are valuable equipment.”
Tom’s mind was working rapidly. In a moment he had the answer. “Bud, there should be a distorter aboard,” he said. “If I install it in the drone I’m sure it can resist any beam the crows throw out.”
“Swell idea, genius boy. Want me to take over here?”
“No, I’ll need your help installing it. Set the Queen on the lifters and leave her.”
As Tom dashed from the cabin, Bud switched off the forward speed jets, clicked on the lifters so the ship would remain stationary in the air, then followed his friend down the stairs to the storage-inventory closet.
Tom thumbed through a rotary wall file and
A RARE CAPTURE 41
quickly located a card with information that a distorter, his own invention, would be found tied down to storage rack number ten. This device was capable of scrambling electrical signals and remote-control beams.
He and Bud carried the instrument to the sliding door that separated the hangar from the rest of the first level. Tom opened it and they clamped the distorter in the sleek drone, connecting the cable to the drone’s generator.
Tom started the dynamo and its high, singing screech filled the hangar. Bud felt better already. “Maybe we can nab the whole jet flock.” He grinned.