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.In the Third Degree, thelaws of atomic physics break down slowly.The atom is tough.It is verycompact, and we just barely attained the concentration needed with thatapparatus.But -- in the Third Degree, when the Atomic Laws break down intoutter uncertainty, the atoms- break, and only hydrogen can exist.That was theblue flame."But the Fourth Degree -- there is no law whatsoever, nothing in all theUniverse can exist.It means -- the utter destruction and release of theenergy of matter!" Kendall paused for a moment."We have Won, with this.Weneed only make up this apparatus -- and maybe make it into a weapon.You know,in the Fourth Degree, nothing in all the Universe could resist, deflect, orcontrol it, if launched freely, and self-maintaining.I think that might bedone.You see, no law affects it, for it breaks down the law.Magnetism cannotattract or repel it because magnetic fields cannot exist; there is no law ofmagnetic force, where this field is."And you know, Devin, how I have analyzed and duplicated their magnetic ball-fields.This should be capable of formation into a ball-field.'"We need only make it up now.We will install it in the 'S Doradus' and the'Cephid' as a weapon.We need only install it as an energy source here.Let usstart."XIIBUCK K.ENDALL with a slow smile, looked out of the port in the thick metalwall.The magnetic shield of Lunar Fort was washed constantly with the firesof exploding magnetic bombs.The smile spread broader."My friends," he saidsoftly, "you can pull from now till doomsday as far as I'm concerned, and youwon't even disturb us now." He looked back over his shoulder into the powerroom.A hunched bulk, beautifully designed and carefully finished, theapparatus that created 'Uncertainty of the Fourth Degree' was destroyingmatter, and creating by its destruction terrific electric fields.These fieldswere feeding the magnetic shield now.Under the present drain, the machine wasnot noticeably working.In fact, Kendall was a bit annoyed.He had tested outthe energy generating properties of this machine, trying to find a limit.Hehad found there was no limit.The great copper conductors, charged with thesame atostor force that was used in the mercury fuel, were perfect conductors,they had not heated.But the eleven thousand tons of discharged mercury metalhad been completely charged in just a bit better than eleven minutes.Thepumps wouldn't force it throogli the charging apparatus any faster than that.Two weeks more passed, while the "S and the "Cephid" were fitted out with thenew apparatus Buck had designed.They were almost ready to start now.McLaurin came down the corridor, and stopped near Kendall.He too smiled atthe Miran's attempts."They've got a long way to go, Buck.""They're going a long way.Clear back home -- and we'll be right along.Idon't think they can outdistance us.""I still don't see why you couldn't use one of those Uncertainty conditions --the First Degree perhaps, and annihilate our inertia.""You can't control Uncertainty.By its essential character it's beyondPage 43ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlcontrol.""What's that Fourth Degree machine of yours -- the material energy -- if itisn't controlled and utilized Uncertainty?""It's utter and utterly uncontrolled Uncertainty.The matter within that fieldbreaks down to absolutely nothing.Within, no law whatsoever applies, butfortunately, outside the old laws of physics apply -- and we can gather anduse the energy which is released outside, though nothing can be done inside.Why, think, man, if I could control that Uncertainty, I could do anything atall, absolutely anything.It would be a world as unreasonable as a bad dream.Think how unreasonable those manifestations we first got were!""But can't you get any control at all?""Very little.Anyway, if I could get inertialess conditions at will, I'd beafraid of them.They'd make chemical reactions impossible in all probability-- and life is chemical.Two atoms must come into more or less violent contactbefore a union takes place, and cannot if they have neither momentum norinertia."Anyway -- why worry.I can't do it, because I can't control this thing.Andwe have the extra-space drive
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