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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/32712-h.zip b/32712-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9c88ca1 --- /dev/null +++ b/32712-h.zip diff --git a/32712-h/32712-h.htm b/32712-h/32712-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8f7432a --- /dev/null +++ b/32712-h/32712-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1267 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<!-- $Id: header.txt 236 2009-12-07 18:57:00Z vlsimpson $ --> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Cube Root Of Conquest, by Rog Phillips. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; +} /* page numbers */ + +.linenum { + position: absolute; + top: auto; + left: 4%; +} /* poetry number */ + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +.sidenote { + width: 20%; + padding-bottom: .5em; + padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; + padding-right: .5em; + margin-left: 1em; + float: right; + clear: right; + margin-top: 1em; + font-size: smaller; + color: black; + background: #eeeeee; + border: dashed 1px; +} + +.bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} + +.bl {border-left: solid 2px;} + +.bt {border-top: solid 2px;} + +.br {border-right: solid 2px;} + +.bbox {border: solid 2px;} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.u {text-decoration: underline;} + +.caption {font-weight: bold;} + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +.figleft { + float: left; + clear: left; + margin-left: 0; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 1em; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +.figright { + float: right; + clear: right; + margin-left: 1em; + margin-bottom: + 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 0; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +/* Poetry */ +.poem { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align: left; +} + +.poem br {display: none;} + +.poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + +.poem span.i0 { + display: block; + margin-left: 0em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i2 { + display: block; + margin-left: 2em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i4 { + display: block; + margin-left: 4em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's Cube Root of Conquest, by Roger Phillips Graham + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Cube Root of Conquest + +Author: Roger Phillips Graham + +Release Date: June 6, 2010 [EBook #32712] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CUBE ROOT OF CONQUEST *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h1>CUBE ROOT OF CONQUEST</h1> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/title.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h2>By Rog Phillips</h2> + +<p>[Transcriber Note: This etext was produced from Amazing Stories October +1948. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed.]</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="sidenote">What actual result is there in the act of conquest? What is +its cube root?</div> + + +<p>Jan ran tirelessly, his long clean limbs carrying him at express train +speed across the uneven terrain. The small deer was beginning to show +evidences of tiring. Its foam-flecked mouth was open, the swollen tongue +protruding over the teeth. The ten or more miles of the chase had proven +Jan's superior strength.</p> + +<p>The deer rounded a dense patch of blackberry bushes and bounded out of +sight over the crest of the hill. To Jan's keen eye it seemed that the +deer stumbled at the instant of vanishing from view. Eagerly he put on a +burst of speed to catch up and make the kill.</p> + +<p>The scene that burst into view brought amazement into his clear blue +eyes. The deer had stumbled, but caught itself, and was bounding down +the gentle slope. Jan thrust curiosity away and concentrated on +regaining the ground lost. His naked feet touched the turf with pile +driver force every ten feet. The muscles under the tanned skin of his +legs worked with smooth effort.</p> + +<p>The deer was headed directly toward a glistening square spot just ahead. +It was in mid stride when it reached it, its front legs doubled, ready +to straighten and touch the ground at the right instant, its hind legs +stretched out behind.</p> + +<p>In that position it sailed over the glistening square that was set flush +into the ground, and—vanished.</p> + +<p>It vanished about like it might vanish around a tree. Its head and +antlers went first, followed by the rest of it. One hoof seemed to +hesitate, hanging in the air by itself. Then it was gone.</p> + +<p>Jan turned desperately to avoid the spot and brought himself to a halt a +few feet beyond. The hair on the back of his neck felt prickly with fear +of the unknown. He returned cautiously to inspect the mysterious, +glistening square slab.</p> + +<p>It was no more than four feet across each way. There was no way of +telling what its surface was like. About where its surface might be was +a soft carpet of glistening, cool force that seemed neither solid nor +fluid. It was something like the surface of a glowing ember in a dying +fire, smoothed out flat and spread with uniformity over an area of +sixteen square feet.</p> + +<p>Jan's eyes pulled away from this fascinating thing and turned to survey +what had first caused him to break his pace in surprise. A short +distance away a skeleton of twisted and sheered off steel girders hinted +at what had once been a bridge across a deep gash in the rolling +terrain. On the other side was what had once been a huge city of +sky-scrapers, though Jan had never heard of such a thing and did not +know that that was what it had been.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>Nothing was visible in the mysterious plate, yet a man had gone into it!</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>With a frown of uneasiness he dismissed the ruins of the city and the +bridge and turned to the mysteriously glowing square once more. The deer +had vanished over it. Therefore it must have something to do with the +vanishing of the deer. Since he had chased the deer so far, it would be +foolish to turn away without investigating. The deer might still be +there somewhere.</p> + +<p>Jan's face lit up with an idea. He looked around until he spied a rock +about as big as a fist. He came back with it and stood thoughtfully near +the edge of the mysterious square. Then he tossed it with just enough +force to carry it across. When it reached a point above the edge of the +square it vanished. Jan waited, but it didn't land on the other side. It +had simply ceased to exist!</p> + +<p>Jan looked thoughtful for a moment. He turned and went back to the patch +of blackberry bushes. Taking his long slim blade from its deerskin +scabbard he cut a long, tough stick, trimming the younger shoots away. +With this he returned to the calmly glistening, mysterious slab.</p> + +<p>Ready to drop his hold on the stick at the first sign of the unusual, he +thrust it part way into the area where things vanished. The end of the +stick disappeared. There was no sign of any force creeping along the +stick to his hand. He waited, reassuring himself. Then he stuck the +stick in a little farther and it vanished a little farther along toward +his hand.</p> + +<p>He held it that way, his nostrils flaring with tenseness. Then slowly he +drew the stick back. The vanished part of it returned to sight. It came +out and was not changed in the least.</p> + +<p>He sniffed at it. It smelled no different than it should. He felt of it +carefully. It felt normal.</p> + +<p>Reassured, he thrust it into the area of vanishment again. He pulled it +out again. It delighted him to watch it vanish and reappear. He laughed +gleefully. The deer was forgotten in the excitement of this strange game +in the shadow of the crumbling bridge.</p> + +<p>Suddenly the vanished end of the stick jerked in his hand. In +spontaneous alarm he pulled toward him. The stick came unwillingly. +Something held it.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>Terrified, Jan dug his heels in the turf and pulled. Slowly inch by +inch, the stick reappeared. But with it appeared a fat, pale hand, +followed by a sleeved arm.</p> + +<p>Jan slapped at the hand and pulled harder. The hand hung on grimly. +Another hand appeared, gripping the slowly emerging arm. It fingered its +way up the sleeve until it too gripped the stick.</p> + +<p>Jan let go and sprang back several feet. He hesitated, ready to flee.</p> + +<p>When he let go of the stick the hands dropped to the ground. The fat +fingers dug into the sod and hung on. A bloated face came into sight and +drew back into nothing once more.</p> + +<p>The face appeared again and stayed, flushed with exertion. Little by +little the face was followed by a neck, shoulders, and a thick torso. +The last to appear was two short legs.</p> + +<p>The figure stood up shakily. It was covered by a brown uniform. Although +Jan did not know it, this was the uniform of a field marshal.</p> + +<p>The pig like eyes in the fat face blinked at him stupidly, then turned +to survey the ruined city.</p> + +<p>Jan recognized the newcomer for a man, though he had never seen one with +such a shape. Vaguely he wondered how such a man could catch wild +animals,—and if he couldn't, how he could eat enough to have grown up.</p> + +<p>The man was even more of an enigma to Jan than the glistening square. +And he might be dangerous.</p> + +<p>Jan had wandered far in his brief lifetime. Nowhere had he found more +than a handful of other wandering nomads, all like him in build; long of +limb, lithe and powerful of shoulder, able to run swiftly all day +without tiring.</p> + +<p>This man, if man it was, came no higher than Jan's heart. He obviously +wouldn't be able to run faster than the exceedingly rare, short-legged +pig that became so fat when it grew up.</p> + +<p>The man turned his fat face back toward Jan. The look in the small eyes +made Jan's hand steal toward his sheathed knife. The eyes saw that +movement. They narrowed cruelly. A sneer appeared on the bloated lips.</p> + +<p>Suddenly a fat hand darted down to a lumpy object on the man's hip and +drew out a squat blue object. It came up. Jan could see a dark hole in +it. He stared curiously.</p> + +<p>Unconsciously he had drawn his knife as the man drew the strange object. +His keen nostrils brought him the smell of sweat that has the odor of a +tense body. His hunting instinct told him this creature was going to +charge.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>Jan felt something hot touch his left shoulder. With it came the sound +of a sharp report. The strange thing in the man's hand buckled queerly.</p> + +<p>Jan looked at his shoulder. There was a gaping, angry wound in it. In +some way this man had hurt him. He didn't stop to analyze how or why. +The fact was there. He could either turn to run or advance to +fight,—and he had never yet turned to run.</p> + +<p>He had learned the trick of weaving in and slashing, and withdrawing +quickly. This stood him in good stead. The queer thing in the man's hand +barked at him, but missed hurting him each time.</p> + +<p>Jan's knife reached in unerringly and slashed the wrist of the hand +holding the spitting thing. The blood gushed out in a pulsating stream.</p> + +<p>The man dropped the gun and tried to stem the flow. Jan took this +opportunity to dart in again and slide his blade across the fat neck.</p> + +<p>A look of horrible realization appeared in the man's eyes. He turned, +stumbled forward, and fell headlong into the space above the +mysteriously glistening square slab. The soles of his shoes seemed to +hang in the air briefly before they followed the rest of him into +nothingness.</p> + +<p>Jan touched his hand gingerly to the raw wound in his shoulder. It was a +day's journey to the healing spring where he could bathe the wound and +plaster it with healing mud.</p> + +<p>His eyes surveyed the scene for a last time, taking in the strange slab +flush with the ground, the skeleton of girders that jutted out from each +side of the gorge, and the strange heaps of steel and masonry on the +other side. Then he turned and started back the way he had come. By the +time he vanished over the rise he had settled into the long, easy trot +that would carry him a good fifteen miles an hour all the way to the +healing spring.</p> + +<p>Behind him the glistening square slab rested, oblivious of his +departure. The two halves of the wrecked bridge still reached yearning, +torn arms toward one another; and across the gap the ruins of the huge +city squatted in silence, coldly aloof.</p> + +<p>A wind born leaf dipped down in coy flight to investigate the slab—and +slipped past the veil. The fresh cut end of the stick Jan had cut formed +a white dot on the green carpet of stunted grass. Bright red stained a +large spot on the green and formed a ribbon that led to the edge of the +square of cold luminescence;—the red trail of blood left by the strange +visitor from out of the square. And in the clean blue sky a bright sun +beamed benignly over all, ignoring—</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>"My leader!" Carl Grinch clicked his heels softly, and bowed stiffly +from the waist. His high, intellectual forehead, clear blue eyes and +finely cut features, together with his civilian garb, indicated that he +was a scientist. He was, in fact, much more than a scientist. He was THE +scientist of Aleme.</p> + +<p>"At ease." The leader waved a gloved hand carelessly, a cruel smile +twisting the harsh face of the dictator of Aleme and avowed leader of +downtrodden masses in every country on Amba.</p> + +<p>His eyes held a gleam of satisfaction as he watched the uneasy tenseness +of the scientist. He gloried in a sadistic satisfaction at his power to +snuff out the life of one so great,—or let him live to serve his +Leader.</p> + +<p>"I told you not to come to me until you had succeeded in the task I set +you," Generalissimo Hute Hitle said coldly. "Your presence means that +you have, no doubt?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, my Leader," Carl Grinch smiled. "Everything is in readiness."</p> + +<p>"Good," Hitle said. He rubbed his chin slowly, a smile of triumph +creasing his face into unaccustomed wrinkles. "Now we can't lose. We +will let loose the destruction and let it take its course. After it is +over we will return to rule an unresisting planet. Explain again to me +the theory of the device."</p> + +<p>"The theory of operation of the devise is, of course, understandable +only by a highly trained specialist," Carl Grinch said placatingly.</p> + +<p>"You know what I mean," Hute Hitle snarled. "I'm not interested in what +makes it work. Only in what it does."</p> + +<p>"To begin with," Carl Grinch said. "Space has three dimensions. We live +in those three dimensions of length, breadth, and thickness. This is +called the space continuum.</p> + +<p>"There is also a three dimensional time continuum. This also has length, +which is past-present-future. In addition it has width and breadth, +which are approximated by the idea of simultaneity to a certain extent. +This is not, however, the simultaneity of events co-existent in our one, +three-dimensional space. All events we can be aware of are in one point +in the time continuum, which moves along a single time line.</p> + +<p>"Since there are only three dimensions of space, all things must be in +our space. It is the time co-ordinates that determine whether we are +aware of something or not. At this very moment there is an infinity of +universes all occupying the same space, but each in a different position +in time. They are existing now, but separated from us in a direction at +right angles to the universal time stream.</p> + +<p>"Mathematically, these other universes are expressed in co-ordinates +that have the square root of a minus one as a coefficient. Also +mathematically, these universes are imaginary, but not in the +non-mathematical, mythical sense. They are just as real as ours, but +relatively imaginary or relatively non-existent.</p> + +<p>"All this has been known by others. They have also known that to make an +imaginary value real it is only necessary to multiply it by the square +root of a minus one. Then it becomes real. This fact became the entering +wedge into the principal that enabled me to succeed in bridging the +abyss of right angle time travel.</p> + +<p>"As you know, many years ago the secret of single dimension time travel +was solved. However, it would not answer our problem. Though it is true +time travel, it amounts to nothing more than perfect stasis for +controlled periods, and if destruction hits the space the time traveller +is in, he is as vulnerable as he would be if not travelling. In order to +escape that it is necessary to step over, so to speak, into one of the +imaginary universes at right angles to us in the time continuum and +travel forward there.</p> + +<p>"So, all I had to do was discover some principal for multiplying a +sector of space by the square root of a minus one. As you know, I did +that. Then I discovered that there are gaps, so that it was impossible +to discover another universe co-existent in space, without determining +the basic equation of the time curve.</p> + +<p>"As everyone knows, both time and space are curved, due to the +distortion of mass on surrounding space and time. The exact equation for +this curvature had to be determined.</p> + +<p>"We knew beforehand that it had to be a cubic equation. Each cubic +equation has three roots for every value of the independent variable, +which is in space. It also has three roots for every value of the time. +Basically, that means that if any primal unit exists in our space, it +exists in three forms, the positive, the negative and the neutral. These +units are the positron, the negatron, and the neutron. Those three are +the three solutions in space to the co-ordinates of the existential +primal point.</p> + +<p>"But also there must be two other universes co-existent with ours in +space, but separated sideways in time. They would be impossible to find +with the machine without solving the cubic equation of the curvature of +our time line."</p> + +<p>"So you have solved that and contacted one of the other two universes," +Hute Hitle broke in impatiently.</p> + +<p>"Exactly," Carl Grinch said.</p> + +<p>"Take me to it," Hute ordered. "I want to see for myself."</p> + +<p>"Yes, my Leader," Carl said, clicking his heels again and bowing. The +bow was lower than usual to hide the gleam of triumph that rose unbidden +in the scientist's eyes.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>The Leader stood with military stiffness, looking curiously at the +square of glowing force. It was set flush with the wooden floor of the +room, and seemed to be nothing more than a square carpet of luminosity.</p> + +<p>Near it was a tripod with a telescope attached. The telescope went up to +the edge of the space above the square place and seemed to end there,—a +tube with no lens in the end.</p> + +<p>"The telescope is pointed into one of the other two worlds," Carl was +explaining. "Without a physical solid connecting the two there is no +contact."</p> + +<p>"What is the nature of that?" Hute asked, pointing at the glowing square +surface.</p> + +<p>"It's difficult to explain it," Carl answered, "I'll put it this way. +Two attracting bodies that are close enough together will revolve around +each other, like the sun and our planet, Amba. The material of this slab +is what I have named tri-matter. It consists of matter from all three +universes of our time equation, blended into one solid. Before I was +able to contact these other two universes it was necessary to use the +machine, which took incredible power to operate for a few brief moments, +and had to be so delicately controlled that the slightest vibration +unbalanced its adjustment. Once the materials were gathered and blended +so they could not separated, I had a permanent bridge into the other +worlds. The machine and its incredible power were no longer needed.</p> + +<p>"You must remember that the three universes occupy the same space, so +that spatially they are not separated at all. Their separation was +temporal, and at right angles to the path from the past into the future. +The attracting forces of the atoms had to be directed across this plane +of time by the machine. When that took place the materials had to be +brought together so that the three substances blended would cohere. Once +they were brought into that state the bridge was established. The bridge +is anchored at this end in the matter of our universe and at the other +two ends in the matter of those universes, just as the bridge above this +building is anchored on this side to the matter of the bank of this side +of the river, and on the other to the matter there."</p> + +<p>"And you just have to walk across?" Hute asked.</p> + +<p>"That's all there is to it," Carl replied casually.</p> + +<p>"And," Hute's eyes took on a crafty gleam. "A time machine in one of +these other universes could carry me to any point in the future without +danger it might have encountered in this one, such as an atom bomb +dropped on the space it would have been in here?"</p> + +<p>"That's correct," Carl agreed. "If you will look through the telescope +you will see my aides already nearing completion on the time machine."</p> + +<p>Hute placed his eyes to the telescope. The scene that appeared was quite +a normal one. The landscaping was different in many ways. The vegetation +was prolific and of strange forms. But for a considerable area the +ground was flat, meeting the surface of the ordinary world only at the +one spot where the tri-matter block was anchored.</p> + +<p>A dozen workmen were busy on the conventional time machine. Hute could +see that a few more days would see it completed. He took his eyes away, +satisfied.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>The Leader stood before the intricate panel. It was located in a deep +subterranean room, safe from all attack. He knew that there were other +similar panels in countries all over the planet, different only in one +respect.</p> + +<p>The hundreds of buttons on his panel were set to send robot rockets +roaring toward predetermined targets. In a second he could end the long +war by a rapid series of pushes on buttons. The enemy could do the same, +wiping out his own country, Aleme.</p> + +<p>These panels had been constructed by international agreement, so that +every country could know that it would be suicide to use atom bombs in +war. Suicide for all. Afterwards there would be nothing but isolated +bands of wandering savages, without the rudiments of civilization. A few +generations after such a holocaust these wandering bands would lose all +ability to learn. The art of reading would be forgotten. The past would +be forgotten or distorted into legends of a God Race. If that happened, +so much the better. When he reappeared again in the world he would be +accepted as a God.</p> + +<p>With his superior knowledge, and with modern weapons to back his +authority, he could be in reality the world Leader he HAD to be to +fulfill his insatiable ambitions.</p> + +<p>The war was stalemated. Soon the tide would turn and the enemy would +gain the advantage. His hold on Aleme would weaken. If he survived the +defeat he knew must come, he would be tried as a war criminal according +to the war code set up ten centuries before, and executed.</p> + +<p>A few minutes of exertion pushing buttons, a hasty trip to the +tri-matter slab, and over into the time machine that was set to return +him to normal time rate after three centuries, and he would be in a +position to rule the world.</p> + +<p>He contemplated the terrific cost. A billion and a half people would be +killed in the space of a few hours. Two hundred million of them would be +his own state-slaves, his subjects.</p> + +<p>His heart would feel the burden of that awful responsibility. No +ordinary man was capable of deciding the good of the world for all +future time with strict impartiality and willingness to sacrifice one +whole generation so that world peace might come. No ordinary man had a +great enough soul to carry the burden of the great responsibility. The +ordinary man quaked with pangs of conscience at the murder of a single +person. He, Hute, had many times had to decide on mass executions for +the good of the whole.</p> + +<p>He had tried, as other great leaders before him, to bring about +permanent world peace by the forging of one world government, supreme, +and controlled by one man,—unified under one dominant will.</p> + +<p>Too few people could see that such was the only path to peace. On any +other course there would always be would-be leaders who would try to set +themselves up in authority.</p> + +<p>On any other course world planning would be stalemated by the eternal +bickering and disagreement among nations and self-anointed saviors of +the common man.</p> + +<p>Only in the Unified World State could competition be entirely +eliminated, and world planning become a reality.</p> + +<p>Hute, standing before the control board, squared his heavy shoulders +manfully, jutted his strong jaw out at a dominant angle, and spoke to +the silent walls as he had often spoken to the masses.</p> + +<p>"If I fail to have the courage to do this thing, then the welfare of all +future generations will be on my shoulders. The sacrifice of the billion +or two now living is a SMALL price to pay, compared to the sacrifice of +countless billions of future generations if I weaken.</p> + +<p>"If I weaken—!"</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>The thought of what would happen,—the war crimes trial, the ignomy of +death as a war criminal at the hands of fools who couldn't understand +the noble, selfless motives that governed his life and caused him to +sacrifice the comforts of home and normalcy as a public servant and the +purpose,—the goal toward which he strove, gave him the courage to press +the first button. With that simple act the fate of Tranx-Yrhl was +directly sealed, and with it the retaliation against his own country. +That knowledge made easy the pressing of the other buttons.</p> + +<p>When it was finished he walked stiffly from the room and took the +elevator to the surface. His general staff awaited him. They stood +awkwardly, faces pale, in this historic moment.</p> + +<p>He nodded imperceptibly to signify that the deed was done. A few dry +throats swallowed loudly in the hush of imminent death.</p> + +<p>Hute Hitle marched stiffly through the passive group. One after another +fell in behind him. The procession marched down to waiting cars.</p> + +<p>The cars crossed the bridge. There they stopped. As one man the Leader +and his general staff looked back at the great city they loved so well. +The Sacrifice they were making for the good of humanity pressed heavily +on their hearts.</p> + +<p>With bowed heads they turned back and went down the path to the research +building.</p> + +<p>Carl Grinch and his science aides were waiting. They paled at the +knowledge that the deed was done and there was no turning back now.</p> + +<p>Hute placed a fond hand on Carl's shoulder.</p> + +<p>"Are you sure you don't want to come with me?" he asked, his voice +choked with emotion.</p> + +<p>"The success of the Plan depends on my staying," Carl replied, his voice +shaken with the emotion of the moment. "The time machine is constructed +in connection with the tri-matter block so that nothing in either of the +other two universes can enter it. After you enter, it must be sealed +from this side for the period of time travel, so that nothing can enter +from this side until it is time for you to come back. I, and my aides, +must remain to do that."</p> + +<p>"Your sacrifice is greater than mine," Hute said simply.</p> + +<p>"It is very little compared to what <i>you</i> are sacrificing," Carl said, +smiling, with a trace of amused contempt carefully hidden in the back of +his eyes.</p> + +<p>Hute took his hand from Carl's shoulder and gravely shook hands with +Carl's aides. It was his simple gesture of reward for their great +sacrifice. They would die with the gratifying knowledge that the Leader +himself had taken their hand and shaken it in gratitude at a service +well performed.</p> + +<p>Then he squared his massive shoulders and stepped onto the tri-matter +slab—and vanished. One by one the members of his general staff +followed.</p> + +<p>When the last of them stepped into thin air above the softly glowing +square, Carl walked over to a switch board and pulled the disconnects +that broke the surge of power playing over the room.</p> + +<p>His pale assistants watched, hypnotized.</p> + +<p>Carl smiled at them encouragingly. He glanced at his watch and estimated +the time left.</p> + +<p>"Another hour at the most now," he said quietly. "It could come any +second."</p> + +<p>The wooden walls of the room closed them in with brooding foreboding. A +heavily barred window brought a view of the steel bridge that led to the +city.</p> + +<p>A large clock on the wall became the center of attention. A red second +hand moved with slowly deliberate swiftness around the dial.</p> + +<p>And in the center of the waiting group the luminous square built flush +with the wooden floor waited too, its face inscrutible, its substance +anchored in three roots of Being.</p> + +<p>An electrical tension was building up around the hushed group of +scientists. Vague stirrings of cold light rippled the surface of the +square block of tri-matter.</p> + +<p>"The cleavage is beginning," Carl said quietly. "When I say the word +step through. The entropy shift must be just right or we'll find +ourselves with Hitle and his gang. Now!"</p> + +<p>As one man the group stepped onto the block and vanished. An instant +later the holocaust broke loose.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>Carl Grinch stood before the tribunal of the United Nations of the +planet Amba. Video cameras pointed at him from every direction. The +audience room was filled to overflowing with officials, and over the +whole planet people had paused in their work to watch him and listen to +his words.</p> + +<p>"We, of Aleme," he was saying. "Dared not openly defy Hute Hitle. He was +too strongly entrenched. Unless we obeyed his orders to the letter we +were executed; and a dead man cannot serve the interests of all Amba. My +researches gave me the plan I had been looking for.</p> + +<p>"As you all know, time travel was discovered many centuries ago. It +amounted to nothing more than perfect stasis. A person could travel +forward in time to any period, but not backward. The time machine in +marching forward existed at every instant, and was therefore always +present to the view of outsiders.</p> + +<p>"My researches made possible sideways travel in time. By means of a +device that used fabulous amounts of power, I was able to gather matter +from two other universes existing in the same space as our own, but with +different time co-ordinates. I proved to Hitle that in one of these +other universes he could escape the destruction he planned, and then +return to a torn world and fulfill his destiny as ruler of the planet.</p> + +<p>"I told him nothing but the truth. Because of that he believed me. If I +had told him one lie he would have seen through the whole thing.</p> + +<p>"In order for you to understand just what happened, and why Amba was not +destroyed when he pressed the buttons that started the atom bombs on +their journeys of destruction, I must tell you a little of the basic +nature of reality. Our universe is at all times and in every respect a +root of a cubic equation. It has long been known that space is curved. +Being curved, it is not the expression of linear equations, but of +equations of some higher order. It had never been determined if that +order was quadratic, cubic or higher. I determined that it was cubic.</p> + +<p>"To tell you how I solved the constants of the equation would be to go +into material too complicated for any but the expert, so I'll skip that. +When I solved that, though, I was able to calculate the field necessary +to create a bridge from this root of the equation to the other two, +gather substances from those two, blend the substances, and create a +natural bridge. I did that. BUT instead of blending substance from our +own universe with the other two, I kept the field going. The field acted +as a bridge, and when the disconnects were broken that bridge vanished, +leaving only a bridge between the other two universes.</p> + +<p>"Now while the field lasted, all three roots were blended into the +Whole, or cubic equation. In plain language, all three universes within +the limits of the field were identical. So it was a simple matter to get +Hute and his general staff to carry out their plans in one of the other +universes rather than this one, and then escape into a time machine in +the third universe.</p> + +<p>"After they did that I merely pulled the disconnects and destroyed the +field that linked our universe temporarily with the one where the +destruction went on according to plan. When Hitle and his men wake up a +few centuries from now they will find that things went according to +plan. They will find their destruction and their bands of savages to +rule, if they can rule them. But their threat to us is gone. We are rid +of them for good."</p> + +<p>The chairman cleared his throat importantly as Carl paused.</p> + +<p>"But what of the people in this other universe,—the ones who were +destroyed by the bombs let loose there? And their descendents who will +survive until the day Hitle returns to force his will on them?"</p> + +<p>Carl smiled broadly.</p> + +<p>"They were destroyed, sir," he answered. "According to plan. That is the +truth. But is isn't ALL of the truth. You see, the cubic equation that +connects this universe of ours with the other two has only ONE real +root. The other two are imaginary. That is what I didn't tell Hitle. The +number one is a cube root of itself, and represents our own universe. +The field set up by the machine was literally another cube root of one +acting on our universe as a factor, transposing its forms into an +imaginary universe. There Hitle succeeded in his conquest of all Amba. +It was not the conquest he figured on however, because events are merely +single values that fit the cubic equation,—never the equation itself. +What Hitle did not know was that no one can ever succeed at conquest, +but only at what might more accurately be termed the cube root of +conquest.</p> + +<p>"And in his case that cube root of conquest was imaginary, represented +by the number, (a minus one half, plus the square root of a minus three +fourths.) Cube that quantity yourself! You will get one for the answer. +Square that quantity and you will get the third cube root of unity. +Blend or multiply the two together and you get unity, which is reality +in our plane of the omniverse. Multiply unity by one of the two +imaginary cube roots of one, and you transform the one, or our reality, +into an imaginary plane. Try it. Get a piece of paper and work it for +yourself! And study the metaphysical applications of the relationships +of the three cube roots of unity,—the relationship of mind, +imagination, and reality, the relationships of the positive, the +negative, and the neutral units of matter;—and wonder!"</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Cube Root of Conquest, by Roger Phillips Graham + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CUBE ROOT OF CONQUEST *** + +***** This file should be named 32712-h.htm or 32712-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/7/1/32712/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Cube Root of Conquest + +Author: Roger Phillips Graham + +Release Date: June 6, 2010 [EBook #32712] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CUBE ROOT OF CONQUEST *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + CUBE ROOT OF CONQUEST + + By Rog Phillips + +[Transcriber Note: This etext was produced from Amazing Stories October +1948. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed.] + + +[Sidenote: What actual result is there in the act of conquest? What is +its cube root?] + + +Jan ran tirelessly, his long clean limbs carrying him at express train +speed across the uneven terrain. The small deer was beginning to show +evidences of tiring. Its foam-flecked mouth was open, the swollen tongue +protruding over the teeth. The ten or more miles of the chase had proven +Jan's superior strength. + +The deer rounded a dense patch of blackberry bushes and bounded out of +sight over the crest of the hill. To Jan's keen eye it seemed that the +deer stumbled at the instant of vanishing from view. Eagerly he put on a +burst of speed to catch up and make the kill. + +The scene that burst into view brought amazement into his clear blue +eyes. The deer had stumbled, but caught itself, and was bounding down +the gentle slope. Jan thrust curiosity away and concentrated on +regaining the ground lost. His naked feet touched the turf with pile +driver force every ten feet. The muscles under the tanned skin of his +legs worked with smooth effort. + +The deer was headed directly toward a glistening square spot just ahead. +It was in mid stride when it reached it, its front legs doubled, ready +to straighten and touch the ground at the right instant, its hind legs +stretched out behind. + +In that position it sailed over the glistening square that was set flush +into the ground, and--vanished. + +It vanished about like it might vanish around a tree. Its head and +antlers went first, followed by the rest of it. One hoof seemed to +hesitate, hanging in the air by itself. Then it was gone. + +Jan turned desperately to avoid the spot and brought himself to a halt a +few feet beyond. The hair on the back of his neck felt prickly with fear +of the unknown. He returned cautiously to inspect the mysterious, +glistening square slab. + +It was no more than four feet across each way. There was no way of +telling what its surface was like. About where its surface might be was +a soft carpet of glistening, cool force that seemed neither solid nor +fluid. It was something like the surface of a glowing ember in a dying +fire, smoothed out flat and spread with uniformity over an area of +sixteen square feet. + +Jan's eyes pulled away from this fascinating thing and turned to survey +what had first caused him to break his pace in surprise. A short +distance away a skeleton of twisted and sheered off steel girders hinted +at what had once been a bridge across a deep gash in the rolling +terrain. On the other side was what had once been a huge city of +sky-scrapers, though Jan had never heard of such a thing and did not +know that that was what it had been. + +[Illustration: Nothing was visible in the mysterious plate, yet a man +had gone into it!] + +With a frown of uneasiness he dismissed the ruins of the city and the +bridge and turned to the mysteriously glowing square once more. The deer +had vanished over it. Therefore it must have something to do with the +vanishing of the deer. Since he had chased the deer so far, it would be +foolish to turn away without investigating. The deer might still be +there somewhere. + +Jan's face lit up with an idea. He looked around until he spied a rock +about as big as a fist. He came back with it and stood thoughtfully near +the edge of the mysterious square. Then he tossed it with just enough +force to carry it across. When it reached a point above the edge of the +square it vanished. Jan waited, but it didn't land on the other side. It +had simply ceased to exist! + +Jan looked thoughtful for a moment. He turned and went back to the patch +of blackberry bushes. Taking his long slim blade from its deerskin +scabbard he cut a long, tough stick, trimming the younger shoots away. +With this he returned to the calmly glistening, mysterious slab. + +Ready to drop his hold on the stick at the first sign of the unusual, he +thrust it part way into the area where things vanished. The end of the +stick disappeared. There was no sign of any force creeping along the +stick to his hand. He waited, reassuring himself. Then he stuck the +stick in a little farther and it vanished a little farther along toward +his hand. + +He held it that way, his nostrils flaring with tenseness. Then slowly he +drew the stick back. The vanished part of it returned to sight. It came +out and was not changed in the least. + +He sniffed at it. It smelled no different than it should. He felt of it +carefully. It felt normal. + +Reassured, he thrust it into the area of vanishment again. He pulled it +out again. It delighted him to watch it vanish and reappear. He laughed +gleefully. The deer was forgotten in the excitement of this strange game +in the shadow of the crumbling bridge. + +Suddenly the vanished end of the stick jerked in his hand. In +spontaneous alarm he pulled toward him. The stick came unwillingly. +Something held it. + + * * * * * + +Terrified, Jan dug his heels in the turf and pulled. Slowly inch by +inch, the stick reappeared. But with it appeared a fat, pale hand, +followed by a sleeved arm. + +Jan slapped at the hand and pulled harder. The hand hung on grimly. +Another hand appeared, gripping the slowly emerging arm. It fingered its +way up the sleeve until it too gripped the stick. + +Jan let go and sprang back several feet. He hesitated, ready to flee. + +When he let go of the stick the hands dropped to the ground. The fat +fingers dug into the sod and hung on. A bloated face came into sight and +drew back into nothing once more. + +The face appeared again and stayed, flushed with exertion. Little by +little the face was followed by a neck, shoulders, and a thick torso. +The last to appear was two short legs. + +The figure stood up shakily. It was covered by a brown uniform. Although +Jan did not know it, this was the uniform of a field marshal. + +The pig like eyes in the fat face blinked at him stupidly, then turned +to survey the ruined city. + +Jan recognized the newcomer for a man, though he had never seen one with +such a shape. Vaguely he wondered how such a man could catch wild +animals,--and if he couldn't, how he could eat enough to have grown up. + +The man was even more of an enigma to Jan than the glistening square. +And he might be dangerous. + +Jan had wandered far in his brief lifetime. Nowhere had he found more +than a handful of other wandering nomads, all like him in build; long of +limb, lithe and powerful of shoulder, able to run swiftly all day +without tiring. + +This man, if man it was, came no higher than Jan's heart. He obviously +wouldn't be able to run faster than the exceedingly rare, short-legged +pig that became so fat when it grew up. + +The man turned his fat face back toward Jan. The look in the small eyes +made Jan's hand steal toward his sheathed knife. The eyes saw that +movement. They narrowed cruelly. A sneer appeared on the bloated lips. + +Suddenly a fat hand darted down to a lumpy object on the man's hip and +drew out a squat blue object. It came up. Jan could see a dark hole in +it. He stared curiously. + +Unconsciously he had drawn his knife as the man drew the strange object. +His keen nostrils brought him the smell of sweat that has the odor of a +tense body. His hunting instinct told him this creature was going to +charge. + + * * * * * + +Jan felt something hot touch his left shoulder. With it came the sound +of a sharp report. The strange thing in the man's hand buckled queerly. + +Jan looked at his shoulder. There was a gaping, angry wound in it. In +some way this man had hurt him. He didn't stop to analyze how or why. +The fact was there. He could either turn to run or advance to +fight,--and he had never yet turned to run. + +He had learned the trick of weaving in and slashing, and withdrawing +quickly. This stood him in good stead. The queer thing in the man's hand +barked at him, but missed hurting him each time. + +Jan's knife reached in unerringly and slashed the wrist of the hand +holding the spitting thing. The blood gushed out in a pulsating stream. + +The man dropped the gun and tried to stem the flow. Jan took this +opportunity to dart in again and slide his blade across the fat neck. + +A look of horrible realization appeared in the man's eyes. He turned, +stumbled forward, and fell headlong into the space above the +mysteriously glistening square slab. The soles of his shoes seemed to +hang in the air briefly before they followed the rest of him into +nothingness. + +Jan touched his hand gingerly to the raw wound in his shoulder. It was a +day's journey to the healing spring where he could bathe the wound and +plaster it with healing mud. + +His eyes surveyed the scene for a last time, taking in the strange slab +flush with the ground, the skeleton of girders that jutted out from each +side of the gorge, and the strange heaps of steel and masonry on the +other side. Then he turned and started back the way he had come. By the +time he vanished over the rise he had settled into the long, easy trot +that would carry him a good fifteen miles an hour all the way to the +healing spring. + +Behind him the glistening square slab rested, oblivious of his +departure. The two halves of the wrecked bridge still reached yearning, +torn arms toward one another; and across the gap the ruins of the huge +city squatted in silence, coldly aloof. + +A wind born leaf dipped down in coy flight to investigate the slab--and +slipped past the veil. The fresh cut end of the stick Jan had cut formed +a white dot on the green carpet of stunted grass. Bright red stained a +large spot on the green and formed a ribbon that led to the edge of the +square of cold luminescence;--the red trail of blood left by the strange +visitor from out of the square. And in the clean blue sky a bright sun +beamed benignly over all, ignoring-- + + * * * * * + +"My leader!" Carl Grinch clicked his heels softly, and bowed stiffly +from the waist. His high, intellectual forehead, clear blue eyes and +finely cut features, together with his civilian garb, indicated that he +was a scientist. He was, in fact, much more than a scientist. He was THE +scientist of Aleme. + +"At ease." The leader waved a gloved hand carelessly, a cruel smile +twisting the harsh face of the dictator of Aleme and avowed leader of +downtrodden masses in every country on Amba. + +His eyes held a gleam of satisfaction as he watched the uneasy tenseness +of the scientist. He gloried in a sadistic satisfaction at his power to +snuff out the life of one so great,--or let him live to serve his +Leader. + +"I told you not to come to me until you had succeeded in the task I set +you," Generalissimo Hute Hitle said coldly. "Your presence means that +you have, no doubt?" + +"Yes, my Leader," Carl Grinch smiled. "Everything is in readiness." + +"Good," Hitle said. He rubbed his chin slowly, a smile of triumph +creasing his face into unaccustomed wrinkles. "Now we can't lose. We +will let loose the destruction and let it take its course. After it is +over we will return to rule an unresisting planet. Explain again to me +the theory of the device." + +"The theory of operation of the devise is, of course, understandable +only by a highly trained specialist," Carl Grinch said placatingly. + +"You know what I mean," Hute Hitle snarled. "I'm not interested in what +makes it work. Only in what it does." + +"To begin with," Carl Grinch said. "Space has three dimensions. We live +in those three dimensions of length, breadth, and thickness. This is +called the space continuum. + +"There is also a three dimensional time continuum. This also has length, +which is past-present-future. In addition it has width and breadth, +which are approximated by the idea of simultaneity to a certain extent. +This is not, however, the simultaneity of events co-existent in our one, +three-dimensional space. All events we can be aware of are in one point +in the time continuum, which moves along a single time line. + +"Since there are only three dimensions of space, all things must be in +our space. It is the time co-ordinates that determine whether we are +aware of something or not. At this very moment there is an infinity of +universes all occupying the same space, but each in a different position +in time. They are existing now, but separated from us in a direction at +right angles to the universal time stream. + +"Mathematically, these other universes are expressed in co-ordinates +that have the square root of a minus one as a coefficient. Also +mathematically, these universes are imaginary, but not in the +non-mathematical, mythical sense. They are just as real as ours, but +relatively imaginary or relatively non-existent. + +"All this has been known by others. They have also known that to make an +imaginary value real it is only necessary to multiply it by the square +root of a minus one. Then it becomes real. This fact became the entering +wedge into the principal that enabled me to succeed in bridging the +abyss of right angle time travel. + +"As you know, many years ago the secret of single dimension time travel +was solved. However, it would not answer our problem. Though it is true +time travel, it amounts to nothing more than perfect stasis for +controlled periods, and if destruction hits the space the time traveller +is in, he is as vulnerable as he would be if not travelling. In order to +escape that it is necessary to step over, so to speak, into one of the +imaginary universes at right angles to us in the time continuum and +travel forward there. + +"So, all I had to do was discover some principal for multiplying a +sector of space by the square root of a minus one. As you know, I did +that. Then I discovered that there are gaps, so that it was impossible +to discover another universe co-existent in space, without determining +the basic equation of the time curve. + +"As everyone knows, both time and space are curved, due to the +distortion of mass on surrounding space and time. The exact equation for +this curvature had to be determined. + +"We knew beforehand that it had to be a cubic equation. Each cubic +equation has three roots for every value of the independent variable, +which is in space. It also has three roots for every value of the time. +Basically, that means that if any primal unit exists in our space, it +exists in three forms, the positive, the negative and the neutral. These +units are the positron, the negatron, and the neutron. Those three are +the three solutions in space to the co-ordinates of the existential +primal point. + +"But also there must be two other universes co-existent with ours in +space, but separated sideways in time. They would be impossible to find +with the machine without solving the cubic equation of the curvature of +our time line." + +"So you have solved that and contacted one of the other two universes," +Hute Hitle broke in impatiently. + +"Exactly," Carl Grinch said. + +"Take me to it," Hute ordered. "I want to see for myself." + +"Yes, my Leader," Carl said, clicking his heels again and bowing. The +bow was lower than usual to hide the gleam of triumph that rose unbidden +in the scientist's eyes. + + * * * * * + +The Leader stood with military stiffness, looking curiously at the +square of glowing force. It was set flush with the wooden floor of the +room, and seemed to be nothing more than a square carpet of luminosity. + +Near it was a tripod with a telescope attached. The telescope went up to +the edge of the space above the square place and seemed to end there,--a +tube with no lens in the end. + +"The telescope is pointed into one of the other two worlds," Carl was +explaining. "Without a physical solid connecting the two there is no +contact." + +"What is the nature of that?" Hute asked, pointing at the glowing square +surface. + +"It's difficult to explain it," Carl answered, "I'll put it this way. +Two attracting bodies that are close enough together will revolve around +each other, like the sun and our planet, Amba. The material of this slab +is what I have named tri-matter. It consists of matter from all three +universes of our time equation, blended into one solid. Before I was +able to contact these other two universes it was necessary to use the +machine, which took incredible power to operate for a few brief moments, +and had to be so delicately controlled that the slightest vibration +unbalanced its adjustment. Once the materials were gathered and blended +so they could not separated, I had a permanent bridge into the other +worlds. The machine and its incredible power were no longer needed. + +"You must remember that the three universes occupy the same space, so +that spatially they are not separated at all. Their separation was +temporal, and at right angles to the path from the past into the future. +The attracting forces of the atoms had to be directed across this plane +of time by the machine. When that took place the materials had to be +brought together so that the three substances blended would cohere. Once +they were brought into that state the bridge was established. The bridge +is anchored at this end in the matter of our universe and at the other +two ends in the matter of those universes, just as the bridge above this +building is anchored on this side to the matter of the bank of this side +of the river, and on the other to the matter there." + +"And you just have to walk across?" Hute asked. + +"That's all there is to it," Carl replied casually. + +"And," Hute's eyes took on a crafty gleam. "A time machine in one of +these other universes could carry me to any point in the future without +danger it might have encountered in this one, such as an atom bomb +dropped on the space it would have been in here?" + +"That's correct," Carl agreed. "If you will look through the telescope +you will see my aides already nearing completion on the time machine." + +Hute placed his eyes to the telescope. The scene that appeared was quite +a normal one. The landscaping was different in many ways. The vegetation +was prolific and of strange forms. But for a considerable area the +ground was flat, meeting the surface of the ordinary world only at the +one spot where the tri-matter block was anchored. + +A dozen workmen were busy on the conventional time machine. Hute could +see that a few more days would see it completed. He took his eyes away, +satisfied. + + * * * * * + +The Leader stood before the intricate panel. It was located in a deep +subterranean room, safe from all attack. He knew that there were other +similar panels in countries all over the planet, different only in one +respect. + +The hundreds of buttons on his panel were set to send robot rockets +roaring toward predetermined targets. In a second he could end the long +war by a rapid series of pushes on buttons. The enemy could do the same, +wiping out his own country, Aleme. + +These panels had been constructed by international agreement, so that +every country could know that it would be suicide to use atom bombs in +war. Suicide for all. Afterwards there would be nothing but isolated +bands of wandering savages, without the rudiments of civilization. A few +generations after such a holocaust these wandering bands would lose all +ability to learn. The art of reading would be forgotten. The past would +be forgotten or distorted into legends of a God Race. If that happened, +so much the better. When he reappeared again in the world he would be +accepted as a God. + +With his superior knowledge, and with modern weapons to back his +authority, he could be in reality the world Leader he HAD to be to +fulfill his insatiable ambitions. + +The war was stalemated. Soon the tide would turn and the enemy would +gain the advantage. His hold on Aleme would weaken. If he survived the +defeat he knew must come, he would be tried as a war criminal according +to the war code set up ten centuries before, and executed. + +A few minutes of exertion pushing buttons, a hasty trip to the +tri-matter slab, and over into the time machine that was set to return +him to normal time rate after three centuries, and he would be in a +position to rule the world. + +He contemplated the terrific cost. A billion and a half people would be +killed in the space of a few hours. Two hundred million of them would be +his own state-slaves, his subjects. + +His heart would feel the burden of that awful responsibility. No +ordinary man was capable of deciding the good of the world for all +future time with strict impartiality and willingness to sacrifice one +whole generation so that world peace might come. No ordinary man had a +great enough soul to carry the burden of the great responsibility. The +ordinary man quaked with pangs of conscience at the murder of a single +person. He, Hute, had many times had to decide on mass executions for +the good of the whole. + +He had tried, as other great leaders before him, to bring about +permanent world peace by the forging of one world government, supreme, +and controlled by one man,--unified under one dominant will. + +Too few people could see that such was the only path to peace. On any +other course there would always be would-be leaders who would try to set +themselves up in authority. + +On any other course world planning would be stalemated by the eternal +bickering and disagreement among nations and self-anointed saviors of +the common man. + +Only in the Unified World State could competition be entirely +eliminated, and world planning become a reality. + +Hute, standing before the control board, squared his heavy shoulders +manfully, jutted his strong jaw out at a dominant angle, and spoke to +the silent walls as he had often spoken to the masses. + +"If I fail to have the courage to do this thing, then the welfare of all +future generations will be on my shoulders. The sacrifice of the billion +or two now living is a SMALL price to pay, compared to the sacrifice of +countless billions of future generations if I weaken. + +"If I weaken--!" + + * * * * * + +The thought of what would happen,--the war crimes trial, the ignomy of +death as a war criminal at the hands of fools who couldn't understand +the noble, selfless motives that governed his life and caused him to +sacrifice the comforts of home and normalcy as a public servant and the +purpose,--the goal toward which he strove, gave him the courage to press +the first button. With that simple act the fate of Tranx-Yrhl was +directly sealed, and with it the retaliation against his own country. +That knowledge made easy the pressing of the other buttons. + +When it was finished he walked stiffly from the room and took the +elevator to the surface. His general staff awaited him. They stood +awkwardly, faces pale, in this historic moment. + +He nodded imperceptibly to signify that the deed was done. A few dry +throats swallowed loudly in the hush of imminent death. + +Hute Hitle marched stiffly through the passive group. One after another +fell in behind him. The procession marched down to waiting cars. + +The cars crossed the bridge. There they stopped. As one man the Leader +and his general staff looked back at the great city they loved so well. +The Sacrifice they were making for the good of humanity pressed heavily +on their hearts. + +With bowed heads they turned back and went down the path to the research +building. + +Carl Grinch and his science aides were waiting. They paled at the +knowledge that the deed was done and there was no turning back now. + +Hute placed a fond hand on Carl's shoulder. + +"Are you sure you don't want to come with me?" he asked, his voice +choked with emotion. + +"The success of the Plan depends on my staying," Carl replied, his voice +shaken with the emotion of the moment. "The time machine is constructed +in connection with the tri-matter block so that nothing in either of the +other two universes can enter it. After you enter, it must be sealed +from this side for the period of time travel, so that nothing can enter +from this side until it is time for you to come back. I, and my aides, +must remain to do that." + +"Your sacrifice is greater than mine," Hute said simply. + +"It is very little compared to what <i>you</i> are sacrificing," Carl said, +smiling, with a trace of amused contempt carefully hidden in the back of +his eyes. + +Hute took his hand from Carl's shoulder and gravely shook hands with +Carl's aides. It was his simple gesture of reward for their great +sacrifice. They would die with the gratifying knowledge that the Leader +himself had taken their hand and shaken it in gratitude at a service +well performed. + +Then he squared his massive shoulders and stepped onto the tri-matter +slab--and vanished. One by one the members of his general staff +followed. + +When the last of them stepped into thin air above the softly glowing +square, Carl walked over to a switch board and pulled the disconnects +that broke the surge of power playing over the room. + +His pale assistants watched, hypnotized. + +Carl smiled at them encouragingly. He glanced at his watch and estimated +the time left. + +"Another hour at the most now," he said quietly. "It could come any +second." + +The wooden walls of the room closed them in with brooding foreboding. A +heavily barred window brought a view of the steel bridge that led to the +city. + +A large clock on the wall became the center of attention. A red second +hand moved with slowly deliberate swiftness around the dial. + +And in the center of the waiting group the luminous square built flush +with the wooden floor waited too, its face inscrutible, its substance +anchored in three roots of Being. + +An electrical tension was building up around the hushed group of +scientists. Vague stirrings of cold light rippled the surface of the +square block of tri-matter. + +"The cleavage is beginning," Carl said quietly. "When I say the word +step through. The entropy shift must be just right or we'll find +ourselves with Hitle and his gang. Now!" + +As one man the group stepped onto the block and vanished. An instant +later the holocaust broke loose. + + * * * * * + +Carl Grinch stood before the tribunal of the United Nations of the +planet Amba. Video cameras pointed at him from every direction. The +audience room was filled to overflowing with officials, and over the +whole planet people had paused in their work to watch him and listen to +his words. + +"We, of Aleme," he was saying. "Dared not openly defy Hute Hitle. He was +too strongly entrenched. Unless we obeyed his orders to the letter we +were executed; and a dead man cannot serve the interests of all Amba. My +researches gave me the plan I had been looking for. + +"As you all know, time travel was discovered many centuries ago. It +amounted to nothing more than perfect stasis. A person could travel +forward in time to any period, but not backward. The time machine in +marching forward existed at every instant, and was therefore always +present to the view of outsiders. + +"My researches made possible sideways travel in time. By means of a +device that used fabulous amounts of power, I was able to gather matter +from two other universes existing in the same space as our own, but with +different time co-ordinates. I proved to Hitle that in one of these +other universes he could escape the destruction he planned, and then +return to a torn world and fulfill his destiny as ruler of the planet. + +"I told him nothing but the truth. Because of that he believed me. If I +had told him one lie he would have seen through the whole thing. + +"In order for you to understand just what happened, and why Amba was not +destroyed when he pressed the buttons that started the atom bombs on +their journeys of destruction, I must tell you a little of the basic +nature of reality. Our universe is at all times and in every respect a +root of a cubic equation. It has long been known that space is curved. +Being curved, it is not the expression of linear equations, but of +equations of some higher order. It had never been determined if that +order was quadratic, cubic or higher. I determined that it was cubic. + +"To tell you how I solved the constants of the equation would be to go +into material too complicated for any but the expert, so I'll skip that. +When I solved that, though, I was able to calculate the field necessary +to create a bridge from this root of the equation to the other two, +gather substances from those two, blend the substances, and create a +natural bridge. I did that. BUT instead of blending substance from our +own universe with the other two, I kept the field going. The field acted +as a bridge, and when the disconnects were broken that bridge vanished, +leaving only a bridge between the other two universes. + +"Now while the field lasted, all three roots were blended into the +Whole, or cubic equation. In plain language, all three universes within +the limits of the field were identical. So it was a simple matter to get +Hute and his general staff to carry out their plans in one of the other +universes rather than this one, and then escape into a time machine in +the third universe. + +"After they did that I merely pulled the disconnects and destroyed the +field that linked our universe temporarily with the one where the +destruction went on according to plan. When Hitle and his men wake up a +few centuries from now they will find that things went according to +plan. They will find their destruction and their bands of savages to +rule, if they can rule them. But their threat to us is gone. We are rid +of them for good." + +The chairman cleared his throat importantly as Carl paused. + +"But what of the people in this other universe,--the ones who were +destroyed by the bombs let loose there? And their descendents who will +survive until the day Hitle returns to force his will on them?" + +Carl smiled broadly. + +"They were destroyed, sir," he answered. "According to plan. That is the +truth. But is isn't ALL of the truth. You see, the cubic equation that +connects this universe of ours with the other two has only ONE real +root. The other two are imaginary. That is what I didn't tell Hitle. The +number one is a cube root of itself, and represents our own universe. +The field set up by the machine was literally another cube root of one +acting on our universe as a factor, transposing its forms into an +imaginary universe. There Hitle succeeded in his conquest of all Amba. +It was not the conquest he figured on however, because events are merely +single values that fit the cubic equation,--never the equation itself. +What Hitle did not know was that no one can ever succeed at conquest, +but only at what might more accurately be termed the cube root of +conquest. + +"And in his case that cube root of conquest was imaginary, represented +by the number, (a minus one half, plus the square root of a minus three +fourths.) Cube that quantity yourself! You will get one for the answer. +Square that quantity and you will get the third cube root of unity. +Blend or multiply the two together and you get unity, which is reality +in our plane of the omniverse. Multiply unity by one of the two +imaginary cube roots of one, and you transform the one, or our reality, +into an imaginary plane. Try it. Get a piece of paper and work it for +yourself! And study the metaphysical applications of the relationships +of the three cube roots of unity,--the relationship of mind, +imagination, and reality, the relationships of the positive, the +negative, and the neutral units of matter;--and wonder!" + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Cube Root of Conquest, by Roger Phillips Graham + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CUBE ROOT OF CONQUEST *** + +***** This file should be named 32712.txt or 32712.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/7/1/32712/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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