"The matter bank is composed of the same elements as the matter for transmission?" asked Kingman.
"No. Some elements release more energy than others. It is desirable that the energy-transfer be slightly negative. That is to say that additional energy must be used in order to make the thing work."
"Why?
"All power lines and other devices are developed for delivering energy, not receiving it. It is less disastrous to take energy from a power line than to try and drive it back in—and the energy must be dissipated somehow."
"Then the matter bank is not the same material."
"No," said Farrell. "The substance of the matter bank is nonhomogeneous. Instantaneously, it will be whatever element is necessary to maintain the fine balance of energy—and it is in constant change."
"Proceed," said Kingman.
"In passing from the disintegrator tube to reintegrator tube, the energy impresses its characteristic signal on a sub-ether transmission system. Radio might work, except that the signal is unbelievably complex. Wired communications—"