Starquake.pdf

other two read zero. Must be breaks in the casing, because the pressure cap connectors have no cracks.
I'm going to activate well number 2, run the flow through the distribution manifold to motor-generator
number 2 and see what happens."
There were no objections from above, so Coulomb-Force pressed theACTIVATE button on the
console and the pressure cap on power well 2 opened and allowed the high-pressure, neutron-rich fluid
from deep inside Egg to flow to the distribution manifold. The valves held and the pressure gauges on the
manifold rose. He then activated another button and the flow surged into the motor-generator. A deep
rumble vibrated through the crust and rose to a steady hum.
"We have power!" Coulomb-Force shouted. "We are on our way!"
Qui-Qui reported the good news through the communications link, then switched the power circuits
connecting the console to the flyer so the accumulators would be charging instead of discharging.
Two more bags of White Rock City sparkling wine and a friendly three-way tussle in the cushioned, but
cramped, back compartment of the flyer left them all exhausted. It was a full turn before they left the
power plant, the flyer following the power conduit to the site of the gravity catapult a few meters away.
"The catapult looks all right to me," said Newton-Einstein as they raised the flyer up and circled above
the gigantic torus lying half-buried in the crust.
"Wouldn't it lose the ultra-dense fluid in the pipes if the power failed?" Coulomb-Force asked.
"No," said Newton-Einstein. "The fluid is really monopole stabilized black-hole dust. It is highly magnetic
and the tubes are made of high temperature superconductor. Even without power, the tubes keep the
black-hole dust contained."
They landed outside the catapult control compound and went in.
"We're in luck!" Coulomb-Force was looking over at a glowing light above a large power breaker in one
corner. "The conduits from the power plant are intact, and we have power! Let's activate the console and
check out the status of the cat-
apult." He closed the tripped power breaker and the console lights went on. The board was a steady
deep red except for a blinking blue failure light in one corner.
Newton-Einstein glided to the console, and the wave motion in his eye-stubs came to a complete halt as
he read the engraved inscription above the blinking blue-hot light.
Worried, Qui-Qui flowed over next to him.
"What's the matter?" she asked.
"There was a leak; the ultra-dense dust is gone."
They went around the outside of the catapult and found the leak. There was a small funnel-shaped hole
in the crust near the base of the foundation where the jet of black-hole dust had dropped into Egg, pulling
the crust with it.
"The catapult must have been working when the starquake hit," said Newton-Einstein. "The dust was