Kinsella (Kinsella Universe Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

idea.
    “Because, buried way in the back of your protocol you suggested varying the location of the gravity singularity, as you call it.  It’s not a singularity, but that’s another story.”
    “We considered,” Stan said, trying to sound confident, “varying the angle up to 45 degrees.  We weren’t sure what effect that would have.  Perhaps it would reduce the mass in the front of the vehicle, allowing it to move marginally faster... or perhaps it would increase the force on the rear wheels slowing it down.  We planned on taking measurements on how that works.”
    “Mr. Benko, that measurement is something freshman physics students calculate in their first semester when we introduce them to vector arithmetic.  It is not a serious topic for graduate-level experimentation.”
    Two other grad students entered the office.  Anna Sanchez was tall and dark, a person who showed even less expression than her boss.  David Louie was from Beijing.  He was perpetually excited about everything he saw.
    “We are going,” Professor Kinsella told her grad students, “on a field trip today.  Mr. Benko will drive.”
    Two thirty on a Friday afternoon is not the best of times to try to get around the LA area, particularly the San Fernando Valley.  It took nearly two hours to get to the airfield.
    Professor Kinsella walked up to the hangar where the go-kart was and gestured to it.  “One or both of you, explain this.”
    Stan was very nearly at the Vesuvius stage, Johnny thought, so he did the explanation.
    Professor Kinsella’s students listened raptly.  Both had PDAs and calculators; both used them frequently.
    When Johnny finished, he turned to Professor Kinsella.  “That’s all I have, Professor.”
    She grimaced.  “That, people, sums up where we are today.”  She waved at the go-cart.
    “The gas turbine that runs the cart has a mean-time-between-failures, at the current operating speed, of about a thousand years.  Which means there is a measurable chance it will fail today.  In that event, people as far away as hundreds of meters could be at risk.”
    Both of Professor Kinsella’s students looked at the go-cart, now wary.
    “The experimenters have no satisfactory plan for going forward.  We need to start moving forward.  Anna, I want a list of ideas for parameters we can change in the basic equations to enhance the depth of the gravity well the device produces.  David, let Anna know if you have any ideas on that.  In the mean time, David, I’d like to see if you can reduce the risk from turbine failure.  Tomorrow, team, I’d like to have the start of a plan!”
    “You’re going to take this away from us,” Stan said bitterly.
    “Mr. Benko and Mr. Chang.  You are now my graduate assistants’ assistants.  When you aren’t answering their questions, work on a paper.  Include everything you know or have theorized.  You have a month from today to have it ready for my review.  There are a number of issues about the publication date, but I assure you that your paper will be sitting the day you declare it ready, in both the Dean’s office and the President of the University’s office.
    “Do some research and start on a patent application.  The university has a number of consultants you can talk to about that.  You’re fools if you don’t avail yourselves of their advice.”
    Stan Benko finally couldn’t contain himself.  “For what?  A bit of math connecting gravity and electromagnetism?  For a go-cart than can, at best speed, be out-walked by a dog?”
    “Come outside, Mr. Benko,” Stephanie Kinsella commanded.
    The group all followed her outside.  “Mr. Benko, does your knowledge extend to knowing which way is south?” the professor asked.
    He pointed in the right direction.  “Now, Mr. Benko, move your hand straight up, until you point directly above you.”  He moved his hand, ignoring the fact that he passed over the moon to get there.
    “Mr. Benko, the only reason