"Seventy-three milliseconds is the best we've been able to clock. That's a close screen, and it takes considerable stability in the generators to hold it. The best barriers for distance and power establish in point one nine eight seconds. Anything beyond that would require too much holding power, anything closer requires more generator stability."
"How does instability affect the screen?"
"Won't hold up. It collapses, and the build-up begins from zero again. That would be dangerous."
"You've been a busy boy," smiled Kane. "Also a definite credit to us all."
"Thanks."
"And how do you intend to operate this thing in practice?" asked Kane. "Not attack, in defense. I mean?"
"We've got the thing hitched to the finders," Maynard punched a switch. "Now, for instance, if anything that radiates comes within detector range of us, the barrier goes on. You'll see that everything is tacked down. We've been trying it out with the tenders, and the first time we did it, we went free and everything floated around the place in no-gravity. We're now protected, and if your pilot should kick his drive, we'd go free." Maynard adjusted three dials. "Now," he said, "the spotter is set to neglect any radiation from the Loki. We can set up many such channels, compensating for every ship in a flight, and yet have the whole flight protected in case of intrusion by another ship."
"You've got everything all set, haven't you?"
"Just about. If we had torpedoes, we could declare a private war on Mars."
"Then you're about finished?"