– However what was written by Hurges in the encoded letter?
– Now we will read. Though I beforehand, almost for certain, can tell that he wrote.
The carat rose, opened a big case and from a heap of any electrotechnical materials and old details took out a thin aluminum plate of the same format, as well as the letter. On a plate quadrangular openings by size about a typewriter letter were cut out in different places. The carat imposed a plate on the letter and read:
– “In case of my death inform S3R”.
– What does it designate? – Azores asked.
– Dear Blasco! I recognize you. Even in the code you resorted to a formula – with soft grief said Carat as if talking to the late friend. Addressing Azores, he asked: – Unless you do not guess? Эс – three – Ayr. It is the USSR. To report to the government of the USSR that in the depth of the Atlantic Ocean the treasure intended for the Soviet Union is stored. But whether the ocean will give the secret now? – asked Carat, addressing Azores. – If I am not mistaken, “Leviathan” sank somewhere about the Azores. Blasco Jurgues’s “portfolio” lies at a depth of two-three thousand meters. Unless it is possible to go down on such depth? However, to find “portfolio”, it is not necessary to lift the steamship. Blasco was provident – I already spoke about it. It was going to attach a plate to an anchor chain. And nevertheless it facilitates a task a little. The diver cannot fall more deeply than by three hundred meters, and I am afraid that Jurgues’s secret died forever.
– Well, still early to determine it – Azores answered. – I, in any case, will execute the last will of the great scientist also I will inform the Soviet government on everything that I know. Let decide what to do. I thank you, Mr. Kar…
– Companion Kar – with soft reproach corrected Azores Kar.
– Companion Kar… I thank you, and allow to say goodbye.
– No, wait – the Carat vividly objected. – You guess as this business is expensive to me. And then… I can be and is useful. I would like that you, companion Azores, informed me of the future of this business.
– To inform – it is hard – laughing, Azores answered. – You, of course, understand that it is impossible to write about such things.
– Why to write?! It is possible to arrive differently. We will speak. And to say so that any person will not understand us. – The carat laughed again. – It also one of the latest discoveries of Hurges. Not such important, as “gun”, but nevertheless interesting. He presented it to me before departure. Short-wave radio station. For it energy in the tenth shares of watt – less, than is necessary for the battery of a pocket electric small lamp. The antenna – five centimeters, range of action is unlimited. The main thing – the sharp orientation guarantees the mystery of transfers. This device watches the direction of a beam. The smallest deviations are registered and immediately automatically are eliminated. How it is pleasant to you? – The carat laughed again and rubbed hands. – I will give you one reception and transfer radio station. Or not… I will give you the scheme and some explanations on two pages of the notebook. In the USSR, of course, there are skilled radio operators?
– Certainly.
– And so, we will talk. I hand you the gift. – The carat took out paper from a desk, quickly outlined the scheme, explanations to it and all this transferred Azoresa.
– And so, we will talk and even… to see if we want. Yes, yes, on TV. At noon local time I will catch a wave. Good-bye.
They left friends.
Azores almost ran on the sidewalk, without feeling under himself legs. It was captured by rough joy. He did not see either empty shops, or the overturned cars and trams. That to it to these pictures of the dying Old World! It is rather in hotel and from there – to the port.
THE DESTINY OF THE EXPEDITION IS DECIDED
In Moscow Azores reported all on the special commission. Experts were invited to a meeting.
– Your opinion? – the chairman addressed the academician Toffel.
The gray-haired, high, full, ruddy academician rose and quietly said:
– The persistent attack, more precisely – the correct siege, strongholds of an atomic nucleus is around the world conducted. People work, without feeling sorry for work, means, energy, and it is clear why. If it is possible to ride out atomic energy, then consequences will be extraordinary. We cannot even present now what will become the world when in our hands there is this originally space force. Since when people began to invent, any invention, any opening – neither steam, nor electricity, nor radio – nothing can be compared to it. Atomic engines will make a full revolution in the equipment, in life. We will become immeasurably stronger and richer. To take at least our uniform high-voltage network. It cost us billions, and its operation costs millions, tens of millions. Wires, support, cables, expensive, bulky dynamo cars, turbines – all this will become unnecessary or almost unnecessary. We will preserve our fuel: coal, oil, wood. They will not be fuel any more. They will be only initial raw materials for chemical processing in high-valuable products. Wood will go only for manufacture of paper, piece silk, sugar and other products and goods. Only one this rescue of coal, oil, the wood from barbarous destruction in fire chambers promises billion savings.
Concerning the most atomic energy needless to say. The fact that it can bring does not give in to calculation. Why we lay our electrohighways on one thousand kilometers now? To transfer energy there where it is absent. Coal, oil, the wood, water – modern power sources – are not always available where there are an ore and other minerals. Atomic energy and atomic engines will give unlimited resources of energy where it is necessary, without any efforts, without bulky constructions. In the tundra and a taiga, in mountains and deserts – everywhere we will be able to have pocket Dneprogesa.
Entirely transport will change. Insatiable engines will disappear. There will be new types of the high-speed land, air and water transport. Even flights to planets will become a reality. Barriers and to construction works will disappear. We will be able to cover with channels all country. We will move literally mountains. The thought, the creative imagination of the modern builder were still connected by “a power limit”. Now many of projects just do not occur to us because energy expenses, excessive for us, are necessary for their performance. Freedom of technical dreams will become original. The person will be a sovereign keeper of the nature.
Whether it is possible to determine the monetary cost of this invention? I find it difficult to give numbers. It should estimate not in billions any more, and in trillions. If the slightest opportunity to seize the similar invention, then any expenses is represented at least, they are as if big were, will pay off in unprecedented sizes.
The academician made a pause and continued:
– But all this under one condition: if Hurges’s device is suitable for obtaining not too expensive intratomic energy. Ourselves learned to destroy an atomic nucleus and if did not design the skilled atomic engine, then only because it is premature. And it is premature because getting of atomic energy costs still immeasurably much. For atom splitting we use high and ultrahigh tension in millions of volts. And the result of this expensive attack, unfortunately, is too small. Our “shells” badly hit the mark. From one thousand shots one hit.
Companion Azores told us that there is witness, the