Heinlein, Robert A – Expanded Universe

“Down the drain. Out into the bay eventually, I suppose.

I tried to snap my fingers, which was impossible because of the lead

mittens. “That accounts for it, Colonel!”

“Accounts for what?”

“Accounts for those accusing notes we’ve been getting from the Bureau of

Fisheries. This poisonous dust is being carried out into Chesapeake Bay and is

killing the fish.”

Manning turned to Karst. “Do you think that possible, Doctor?”

I could see her brows draw together through the window in her helmet. “I

hadn’t thought about it,” she admitted. “I’d have to do some figuring on the

possible concentrations before I could give you a definite answer. But it is

possible-yes. However,” she added anxiously, “it would be simple enough to divert

this drain to a sink hole of some sort.”

“Hm-m-m-yes.” He did not say anything for some minutes, simply stood there,

looking at the box.

Presently he said, “This dust is pretty lethal?”

“Quite lethal, Colonel.” There was another long silence.

At last I gathered he had made up his mind about something for he said

decisively, “I am going to see to it that you get Obre’s assistance, Doctor-”

“Oh, good!”

“-but I want you to help me in return. I am very much interested in this

research of yours, but I want it carried on with a little broader scope. I want you

to investigate for maxima both in period and intensity as well as for minima. I want

you to drop the strictly utilitarian approach and make an exhaustive research along

lines which we will work out in greater detail later.”

She started to say something but he cut in ahead of her. “A really thorough

program of research should prove more helpful in the long run to your original

purpose than a more narrow one. And I shall make it my business to expedite every

possible facility for such a research. I think we may turn up a number of

interesting things.”

He left immediately, giving her no time to discuss it. He did not seem to

want to talk on the way back and I held my peace. I think he had already gotten a

glimmering of the bold and drastic strategy this was to lead

to, but even Manning could not have thought out that early the inescapable

consequences of a few dead fish-otherwise he would never have ordered the research.

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No, I don’t really believe that. He would have gone right ahead, knowing

that if he did not do it, someone else would. He would have accepted the

responsibility while bitterly aware of its weight.

1944 wore along with no great excitement on the surface. Karst got her new

laboratory equipment and so much additional help that her department rapidly became

the largest on the grounds. The explosives research was suspended after a conference

between Manning and Ridpath, of which I heard only the end, but the meat of it was

that there existed not even a remote possibility at that time of utilizing U235 as

an explosive. As a source of power, yes, sometime in the distant future when there

had been more opportunity to deal with the extremely ticklish problem of controlling

the nuclear reaction. Even then it seemed likely that it would riot be a source of

power in prime movers such as rocket motors or mobiles, but would be used in vast

power plants at least as large as the Boulder Dam installation.

After that Ridpath became a sort of co-chairman of Karst’s department and

the equipment formerly used by the explosives department was adapted or replaced to

carry on research on the deadly artificial radioactives. Manning arranged a division

of labor and Karst stuck to her original problem of developing techniques for

tailor-making radioactives. I think she was perfectly happy, sticking with a

one-track mind to the problem at hand. I don’t know to this day whether or not

Manning and Ridpath ever saw fit to discuss with her what they intended to do.

As a matter of fact, I was too busy myself to think much about it. The

general elections were coming up and I was determined that Manning should have a