Heinlein, Robert A – Expanded Universe

Lentz read:

THOMAS P. HARRINGTON

Captain (Mathematics)

United States Navy

Director

U.S. Naval Observatory

“But I do know him,” he said. “I’d be very pleased to see him.”

Harrington was a man with something on his mind. He seemed relieved when

Steinke had finished ushering him in and had returned to the outer office. He

commenced to speak at once, turning to Lentz, who was nearer to him than King.

“You’re King? Why, Doctor Lentz! What are you doing here?”

“Visiting,” answered Lentz, accurately – but incompletely, as he shook

hands. “This is Superintendent King over here. Superintendent King-Captain

Harrington.”

“How do you do, Captain-it’s a pleasure to have you here.”

“It’s an honor to be here sir.”

“Sit down?”

“Thanks.” He accepted a chair, and laid a briefcase at a corner of King’s

desk. “Superintendent, you are entitle to an explanation as to why I have broken in

on you Ilk this-”

“Glad to have you.” In fact, the routine of formal politeness was an anodyne

to King’s frayed nerves.

“That’s kind of you, but that secretary chap, the one that brought me in

here, would it be too much to as for you to tell him to forget my name? I know it

seem strange-”

“Not at all.” King was mystified, but willing to grab any reasonable request

of a distinguished colleague in science. He summoned Steinke to the interoffice

visiphone and gave him his orders.

Lentz stood up, and indicated that he was about to leave. He caught

Harrington’s eye. “I think you want private palaver, Captain.”

King looked from Harrington to Lentz, and back at Harrington. The astronomer

showed momentary indecision, then protested, “I have no objection at all myself it’s

up to Doctor King. As a matter of fact,” he added,” might be a very good thing if

you did sit in on it.”

“I don’t know what it is, Captain,” observed Kin~ “that you want to see me

about, but Doctor Lentz is a ready here in a confidential capacity.”

“Good! Then that’s settled .. I’ll get right down I business. Doctor King,

you know Destry’s mechanics infinitesimals?”

“Naturally.” Lentz cocked a brow at King, who chose to ignore it.

“Yes, of course. Do you remember – theorem six, an the transformation

between equations thirteen and fourteen?”

“I think so, but I’d want to see them.” King got up and went over to a

bookcase. Harrington stayed him with a hand.

“Don’t bother. I have them here.” He hauled out a key, unlocked his

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briefcase, and drew out a large, much thumbed, loose-leaf notebook. “Here. You, too,

Doctor Lentz. Are you familiar with this development?”

Lentz nodded. “I’ve had occasion to look into them.”

“Good-I think it’s agreed that the step between thirteen and fourteen is the

key to the whole matter. Now the change from thirteen to fourteen looks perfectly

valid and would be, in some fields. But suppose we expand it to show every possible

phase of the matter, every link in the chain of reasoning.”

He turned a page, and showed them the same two equations broken down into

nine intermediate equations. He placed a finger under an associated group of

mathematical symbols. “Do you see that? Do you see what that implies?” He peered

anxiously at their faces.

King studied it, his lips moving. “Yes. .. . I -believe I do see. ‘Odd… I

never looked at it just that way before- yet I’ve studied those equations until I’ve

dreamed about them.” He turned to Lentz. “Do you agree, Doctor?”

Lentz nodded slowly. “I believe so … Yes, I think I may say so.”

Harrington should have been pleased; he wasn’t. “I had hoped you could tell

me I was wrong,” he said, almost petulantly, “but I’m afraid there is no further

doubt about it. Doctor Destry included an assumption valid in molar physics, but for

which we have absolutely no assurance in atomic physics. I suppose you realize what

this means to you, Doctor King?”

King’s voice was a dry whisper. “Yes,” he said, “yes it means that if the

Big Bomb out there ever blows up, we must assume that it will all go up all at once,