Garvers got up and began to pace. “According to Busch, Duvall devised the instrument after stumbling into an entirely new branch of physics.
“This device of Duvall’s is a special case of a new theory of matter and energy. Matter is made up of subnuclear particles—electrons, protons and the like. However, Duvall said that these particles are in turn made up of much smaller particles grouped together in aggregate clouds. The size ratio of these particles to protons is somewhat like the ratio of an individual proton to a large star. They seem to be composed of tiny clots of energy from a fantastically complex energy system, in which electromagnetism is but a small part. Each energy-segment is represented by a different facet of each particle, and the arrangement of the individual particles to each other determines what super-particle they will form, such as an electron. Duvall called these sub-particles ‘lems’.
“Busch says he was told that a field of a special nature could be generated so as to make the individual lems in the particles of matter rotate in a special way that would introduce a ‘polarization field’, as Duvall called it. This field seems to be connected somehow with gravity, but Busch wasn’t told how.
“The upshot is that matter in the initial presence of the field is affected so that it is able to pass through ordinary matter—”
“Hold on,” interrupted Max. “If a device can do that, then the user would immediately fall towards the center of the Earth.”
“Just you hold on. You didn’t let me finish. A single plane of atoms, at the base of the treated object is the point of contact. It remains partially unaffected because it is closest to the ‘gravetostatic field center’, which I guess is the Earth’s center of attraction. This plane of ‘semi-treated’ atoms can be forced through an object, if it is moved horizontally, but its ‘untreated’ aspect prevents the subject wearing the device from falling through the floor.
“Busch demonstrated this device to me, turning it on and strolling through various objects in this room. Think of it! No soldier could be killed or held prisoner. And—”
“Now hang on,” objected Max. “Let’s not run away with ourselves. He may have perfected a device that would enable a soldier to avoid capture, but there would certainly be other ways to kill him than by bullets. Let’s see now: suppose that the enemy shot a flamethrower at him. The burning materials might pass through him, but he would be cooked anyway. Or poison gas—”
[p 63]
“Hm-m-m. As far as gas goes, I suppose a gas mask would be necessary. Busch doesn’t know about the breathing mechanism, except that he had to take breaths. But as far as fire or radiation goes, the man’s protected. If the radiation is either harmful by nature or by amount, the field merely reflects it. It is something called the ‘lemic stress’ of the field that causes the phenomenon.
“That’s why we need your help.”