Mason looked at the man again. “This doesn’t make sense. What is causing this thing to hold a charge?”
“Is it holding a charge or generating the power itself?” the assistant thought out loud. He grabbed a black apron sitting on the chair beside them and threw it over the plate, partially covering it. Immediately, the meter dropped to 275 volts.
Mason’s face became very animated. “It has to be the lights. Let me hold this and you go turn off the overheads,” he nearly shouted.
With all but the light on the meter turned off, the voltage dropped to zero. Mason turned to the young man, “Get me a box or something to put this thing in. It has to be light proof. Then get Dr. Thomas over here. I want to take this thing outside,” he said.
A large diameter steel wire was bolted to the grommet while the assistant brought in a cardboard box that had recently covered the oven. After some cutting and the liberal use of duct tape, the plate was secured inside it.
“What’s going on Greg,” asked Thomas as he entered the lab.
“Boss, this may be even bigger than we thought. Come with us outside,” he said as he and the assistant placed the plate in its box and put it on a rolling cart. The voltage meter was placed under it. The men walked down the hall as Mason explained what had happened. Exiting the corridor, they entered a courtyard where several antennas and steel towers were erected. Still wearing his rubber gloves, Mason set the meter to its highest setting and touched the lead to the steel cable. Already there was some voltage just from light leaking through the cardboard. Urging everyone to step back, Mason used a box cutter to cut along the tape binding. When done, he threw back the cardboard top.
The voltage meter wires melted before their eyes. A bolt of electricity shot from the steel cable across the ground to a steel support just three feet away. The sound of the arcs of electricity crackled in the air until Mason threw the cover back over the plate.
“My God!” exclaimed Thomas. “This is unbelievable!”
Mason nodded and walked over to the smoldering meter. The needle on the dial had frozen in place as it had jumped the top of the scale of over 10,000 volts. The look on the men’s faces was total astonishment. Before, the plate had absorbed RF. Now it was turning sunlight into electricity. Not just a little, but a whole lot. Thomas looked back at Mason. “Greg, call the power company. I want to hook this up to one of their big meters. If this is what I think it is, young Mister Maxwell has just solved the energy crisis and global warming. Can we duplicate it?”
Mason nodded. “The only thing changed was the temperature and duration. The lab is still making filaments, so we can make another within 12 hours. Our problem is transporting this thing. It needs to be kept in a lightproof box. If not, it might fry anyone near it.”
Thomas nodded. “Do whatever it takes. I’m going to make some calls. I think this just got bumped up to a much higher level.”
“Roger, Claire, I appreciate the brief on what is going on over there,” said Burt Williams, Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence. “We’ve been keeping an eye on things going on, but it’s great to understand their thinking. Do they think any of this will work?”
Hammond chuckled, “No, but they realize something has to be done that’s outside the norm. With the numbers we’re facing, they could walk all over us if we do things the old way. They are actually taking a few things from our book. Hit them where they least expect it, keep nipping at their flanks and in their soft spots. Short, quick strikes, then back off. Any direct assault will end up with a lot of dead people and broken equipment. But our European allies are at the end of their rope. They just don’t have the kinds of capabilities we have, or they don’t have enough. Even the Brits are scrambling to find answers. Quite frankly, they are hoping we can make the difference. Unfortunately, I’m not sure we can in this situation. My team is wrapping up the study and it isn’t looking good. Our one chance is if our technology can make up the difference. We are so far ahead in some areas it could change quite a bit,” Hammond said to the group.
“That little thing we are testing over at David Taylor may help tremendously,” said Mark Price, Undersecretary for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. “I got a call from Dr. Thomas a little earlier. It appears it will do all you thought and much more,” he said to Hammond. “I also got a call about those drones, you asked about, General. It appears they could be manufactured with a weapon for just $500 more per unit. After a little bit of testing, we might get them in a year or so,” he said.
Richardson sat forward in her seat. “Sir, I don’t think we have a year. I don’t think we have six months. Things are moving way too fast. Our European friends agree we will see something begin within four months. Is there a chance we can get the things before that?” she asked.
Price looked concerned. “Our hands may be tied. With all the procurement regulations, we just can’t do it within that time frame,” he said as he looked at the front of the table.
The Secretary of Defense sat with his fingertips together, obviously deep in thought. He looked up and around the room. “Actually, I believe you’re right. When I talked to the President this morning, he said the same thing. What do the Joint Chiefs think?”
General Black didn’t waiver. “It’s going to happen. We either ignore it and pay the consequence or we jump in with both feet. I will say this. If war starts, it will be too late to start anything. The Russians will run all over Europe. We may not have to worry much at first, but it will eventually meet us right here. We need all the tools in the tool box,” he said.
The Secretary nodded his head, then his face adopted a determined look. “I don’t want to take a head-in-sand approach. Mark, let’s get things rolling. I’ll talk to Congress and let them know what’s happening. I feel sure they won’t hold us back too much. Draw up the contracts to get those drones. I also want those plates manufactured and installed on every ship and plane that we can. I’ll leave the tactical uses to you,” he said to Black. “I also want to know what other materials and equipment we need so that our people are fully equipped for this thing. We’re not going in wanting. How many of those drones do you think we need,” he asked Richardson.
“Sir, if we use them like I would want to, I need thousands,” she said.
Price grinned. “At only $4,500 apiece, it’s a small price to pay. My people will get this thing done within a few days. From what I understand, the manufacturer had proposed this when they bid on the initial contract and we told them no guns. They just grind off the supports instead of redesigning it. I am told they can manufacture a couple hundred a day if we need them.”
“Make it happen. I am calling the President now. I’m sure you all know he will be behind this. As of now, we are going on a war footing as far as acquisitions go. If our guys need it, get it. Within reason, of course,” he grinned. “Thank you all for filling us in. Now let’s get going.”
The men and women got up from the table and began making their way out. Price stopped Hammond and Black as they were leaving. “Roger, you haven’t heard, but there’s an extra benefit to young Mister Maxwell’s discovery.”
“Oh really?”
Price nodded. “They had a small screw up over there and left it in the oven too long. What came out is totally different from what we started with. It seems in sunlight, that four foot square plate generated over 10,000 volts of electricity.”
Black let out a whistle. “Good Lord, that’s way more than any solar panel I know of.”