She examined them excitedly, especially the neutro-pistol. "Donli, look at this!" she pointed at the firing coils. "It seems to be the same principle we're working on!"
"Do you mean to say you're trying to invent a neutro gun?" Janus was amazed.
"Yes," Donli answered. "We've been working on it for the past several years, but it's been slow and hard. Sometimes disastrous." He stepped to a bookcase, brought out one of the ancient volumes. It was Spurlin's Evolution and Control of the Free Electron.
"We've worked from the principles set forth here," Donli explained, "and with some slight measure of success. But we feel that we're treading on dangerous ground. Only a few months ago one of our laboratories was blown up and four men killed."
Brownell nodded. "Even when Spurlin wrote that book there was no real control of the electron. It came later. Anyway, we can help you now! We have the real models here to work from. Would you like to see these guns in operation?"
It was a needless question. They repaired outside, where Janus demonstrated the atomic rifle first, aiming at a harmless clump of bushes some fifty yards away. The atomic pellet struck and exploded, leaving a miniature crater.
"That," Brownell said, "is an example of uncontrolled atomic explosion. Rather crude, but it serves its purpose. Now let us observe a refinement of it. Controlled, electronic action."
Janus aimed the pistol. A bluish, pencil-thin ray leaped forth. Where it touched, substance vanished into a froth of flame. The ground itself became incandescent glass. The ray remained constant so long as his finger touched the firing stud.
Mari was excited. "Then you will help us perfect ours? The Perlacs are becoming stronger than we have ever known them, and whenever they start scouting the twilight zone, it means trouble. Donli tells me the robots are active again, too!"
"We can and will help you," Brownell assured her. "I doubt if those overgrown robots will stand up long under an electronic ray!"