Tom Swift Jr #35, Chapter 2: Trial By Fire

That afternoon, two teenagers hurriedly walked toward one of the large experimental testing centers on the Swift Enterprise grounds. It was a beautiful day in early Fall, and a wide blue sky stretched to the horizon. The trees that lined the sidewalks were already showing tinges of yellow and red, and the warm summer air was beginning to cool. However, the beauty of that day was lost on Tom Jr. and Irene. They were discussing the tomasite stress tests that were to be conducted in a few minutes, and worries of a catastrophic failure were dominating their minds.

“Now are you sure this is going to work?” Tom Jr. asked Irene.

The young scientist bit her lip. “Kind of,” she said. “It should work. It ought to work. I’ve done the math. The basic idea is sound. I’m sure of it.”

“It should work?” Tom Jr. asked, unnerved. “Irene, there’s going to be a reporter there! Do you know what will happen if it fails? There’s a lot riding on this!”

“I know, Tom,” Irene said nervously. “Believe me, I know. I’ve done everything I can, but there are just so many things that could go wrong! Tomasite is a hideously complicated material, and the smallest impurities can ruin it. But I think we’ve got it this time. Your dad does believe in it, you know. He thinks we’re ready.”

“I know, I know,” Tom said. “But the last time you did a radiation test it led to a cascade failure in the tomasite and you blew up most of the testing center. It was not a success. I’m surprised that no one was killed!”

“But we didn’t have a reporter there then,” Irene said. “Your dad knew we weren’t ready. This time is different. I trust his judgment, I really do. If he thinks it’s then it’s time.”

“But this is insane,” Tom complained. “Why not test it first and then bring in a reporter, after you know it works?”

“It’s not your dad’s fault,” Irene said. “Your dad promised the paper six months ago that he would demonstrate the miracle plastic he’d been working on all these years, and he set today as the demonstration date. At the time he thought all the problems were behind him. He had no idea it would take him this long to solve the radiation shielding issue.”

“Would it kill him to postpone the demonstration a day or two?” Tom asked irritably. “What’s one day, Irene? One single day!”

“Your dad is a man of his word. If he tells someone that he’s going to do something then he does it. He told the reporter that he was going to demonstrate tomasite today, and so that’s exactly what he’s going to do. If it works then it works, and if it fails then it fails. He’s not going to hide, Tom.”

“I know, but – ”

“Just stop it,” Irene said firmly. “That’s quite enough. We’re going to go through with this, and we’re going to give it our best shot. If all you can do is moan about it then I suggest you sit this one out.”

“Sorry,” Tom said, abashed. “You’re right. I’ll behave. We’ll make it through this.”

“Yes we will,” Irene said.

The two at last reached the testing center and entered the building. Inside the foyer they found that Tom Sr., Ned Newton, and the reporter from the newspaper had already arrived. Ned Newton was Tom Sr.’s lifelong friend and companion. For years Ned had been responsible for the financial and business end of Swift Enterprises, and now operated the Swift Construction Company. Ned always liked to be on-hand whenever his friend demonstrated a new scientific marvel, and had flown in from California just to be present at the tomasite test.

“There you are!” Tom Sr. said, beaming. “Peele, I’d like you to meet my son, Tom Swift Jr.. Tom, this is Vince Peele from the Shopton Evening Bulletin.”

“It’s a pleasure,” Peele said, shaking Tom’s hand firmly. “Your father is a great man, son, a great man. Maybe one day you’ll grow up to be like him.”

“Um, thanks,” Tom Jr. replied uncertainly.

“And this is Irene Goddard,” Tom Sr. said. “She has proved invaluable in my work on tomasite. I couldn’t have done it without her!”

Irene blushed. “Not at all, sir. My assistance was very minor. It was an honor to have helped.”

Peele reached over and shook her hand. “It’s a pleasure, it really is. I’ve heard great things about you! If this plastic is everything I’ve been told then it’s going to change everything, yes it will. You’re going to be famous!”

“Right this way,” Tom Sr. said, ushering them down a long corridor. “This is one of our most modern testing centers. We can subject our material to a wide variety of conditions, to simulate the actual stresses it might encounter in the real world.”

As Tom Sr. explained the purpose of the various testing laboratories, Tom Jr. walked beside Irene. “You’re going to be famous?” he whispered.

“He’s a reporter,” Irene whispered back. “Don’t take it personally. Young people in science just makes for good copy, I guess. Remember, Tom, he’s looking to sell newspapers, and flashy headlines will do that.”

“Doesn’t he realize what I’ve been working on?” Tom Jr. asked. “I mean, there’s a reason why I haven’t been helping Dad on the tomasite project. My ideas for the application of nuclear power will change everything.”

“Lots of people have ideas,” Irene replied. “If you want people like him to take you seriously then you’ve got to take it beyond an idea and actually build it. Give it time, skipper. You’ve got your whole life ahead of you.”

Tom’s father led them to a door at the end of the hallway that was labeled TENSILE STRENGTH TESTING. Tom Sr. removed a keychain from his pocket, unlocked the door, and let the group into the room. Inside they found a large piece of machinery that took up the bulk of the laboratory.

Tom Sr. walked over to the machine and removed a small piece of material that was about three inches long and one inch in diameter. The rod was made of a green translucent substance. “This is a sample of tomasite,” he said, as he handed the sample to the reporter.

Peele took it from Tom and looked at it with great interest. “So this is what you’ve been working on for the past ten years! It’s amazing to at last see it in person. I know we’ve already discussed this in the foyer, but can I get a quote for our readers on why this material is so important? If you don’t mind, how will this impact the field of science?”

“Certainly,” Tom Sr. said. He took the sample from Peele and handed it to Irene, who secured it in the tensile testing machine. “What you see here, Vince, is the future of Swift Enterprises. I believe this plastic will revolutionize everything that we do. I’m especially interested in its applications in the field of nuclear energy.”

“Because of its remarkable properties?” Peele asked, as he jotted down shorthand in his notebook.

“Exactly! An indestructible, lightweight plastic that is impervious to all forms of radiation would be a tremendous boon to the field. Atomic energy would become much safer and more efficient. It could open up an entirely new way of doing things!”

“The atomic applications are really unlimited,” Tom Jr. said, speaking up. “I believe that this material can lead to a whole line of atomic-powered transportation. An atomic-powered car or plane, for example, could operate for months or even years without needing to be refueled.” His eyes glowed with enthusiasm. “It could end our reliance on fossil fuels and truly open up the nuclear age!”

Peele laughed. “An atomic-powered car! That’ll be the day, son. So, Tom, what is the first test that you’re planning on conducting?”

“The first property I want to demonstrate is this material’s remarkable strength,” Tom Sr. replied. “There are many different aspects to material strength, but today I’m going to focus on tensile strength.”

When the reporter looked confused, Irene spoke up. “It’s just a measure of a material’s ability to handle stress,” she explained. “It so happens that a material’s tensile strength doesn’t depend on the size of the sample, and we don’t have a lot of tomasite right now, so it’s a good fit for us.”

“Of course,” Peele said, nodding his head and taking notes. “We’re on the cutting edge of science here! Tomasite is probably the rarest substance in the universe right now. In fact, I bet you just made this batch a few hours ago, didn’t you? It’s hot off the presses!”

“Actually – ” Irene said.

“Shhh,” Ned replied, cutting her off. “Discretion, Irene, is a virtue.”

“So how does this work?” Peele asked. “Are we going to stand around and watch?”

“Yes, but from the safety of an adjoining room,” Tom Sr. said. He nodded toward the right, where they saw a large plexiglass wall that was beside a narrow door. Through the window they could see a small control room. “The point of the test is to pull on the material until it breaks, and I’d rather be behind a protective shield when it finally gives way.”

“Right – safety first!” Peele said cheerfully. The group walked through the door and entered the shielding area, where they sat down at a small table that faced the tensile machine. From the control room they had a clear view of the machine and the tomasite sample.

“These levers control the operation of the machine,” Tom Sr. said. “This button here begins the test, and this gauge allows us to see how much stress is being put on the material. Today we’re going to measure the force in psi, or pounds per square inch. Vince, would you care to begin the test?”

“It would be an honor,” Peele replied. He pushed the button. Immediately the psi gauge began climbing as the machine pulled on the sample. They could feel the machine throbbing as it worked to apply stress to the material.

“This worked last time, didn’t it?” Tom Jr. whispered to Irene.

She nodded. “It’s the radiation test that gets us. But I’m feeling more confident now.”

“I wish I did,” Tom Jr. replied. Irene shot him a warning look, and Tom remained silent.

As the group watched, the force pulling on the tomasite rod grew from 10,000 psi to 20,000 and then to 30,000. When it reached 36,000 psi Tom Sr. announced that they had reached the tensile strength of structural steel. Peele looked impressed as the tomasite showed no signs of snapping.

The stress continued to increase, and soon reached 100,000 psi. As the indicator crossed 120,000 psi Tom Sr. spoke up again, saying that they had now reached the tensile strength of titanium. Still, the tomasite showed no signs of yielding.

As the minutes ticked by the force continued to build. Peele whistled when the psi level exceeded one million. “Unbelievable,” he said quietly, jotting down some notes. “Your plastic makes steel look like tissue paper!”

Tom Sr. smiled. “We’re just getting started. Give the machine a few more minutes and I’ll show you what real strength looks like.”

Minute by minute the force continued to build. The group watched silently as the stress level exceeded two million psi, then three, then four. Peele’s eyes kept growing wider. “How high is it going to go?”

“Nine point one three five,” Irene replied matter-of-factly. “We’ve done this before, you know. Basically, tomasite is about 250 times stronger than steel. It’s all made possible by a very clever and complicated molecular arrangement.”

“What’s really amazing is that even that is far from the theoretical limit of what we can do with that atomic structure,” Tom Sr. pointed out. “We’re really just getting started.”

Sure enough, when the gauge read 9,135,000 psi the tomasite snapped violently, startling the group with a sudden deafening noise. Tom Sr. shut down the machine, smiling.

“A very impressive display!” Ned Newton said. “I can certainly see a market for something like that. And you tell me you know how to manufacture it in large quantities?”

Tom Sr. smiled. “That will come next, Ned. We can talk about that after the demonstration. There are still two more tests that we need to run.”

Peele nodded, jotting down notes. “And what is next in your bag of tricks?”

Tom Sr. led the group back out to the hallway and down to another door, which was labeled SHOOTING RANGE. As Tom opened the door and let the group inside he explained the purpose of this test.

“One of the advantages to tomasite is that a very thin and lightweight coating can provide a tremendous amount of strength. While it is possible to build entire structures from the material, it’s also possible to use it as a coating to reinforce existing objects. This room is intended to demonstrate that.”

Inside the room they saw a long shooting lane that extended about a hundred and fifty feet. A painted line on the ground marked the start of the lane, and spent cartridges littered the ground around the line. To the left of the lane was a large gun rack that sported a wide variety of weapons.

“You have a nice collection of firearms here,” Peele said, as he walked over to the rack. “You used to be a big-game hunter, didn’t you?”

Tom Sr. nodded. “I don’t get out much anymore, but back in the day I did a lot of hunting in Africa. I bagged quite a few elephants, as I recall.”

“I never cared for hunting,” Tom Jr. replied.

Irene laughed. “I don’t think you even know how to use a gun. Weapons just aren’t your thing, Tom.”

“That’s your loss, son,” Peele said. “I’ve heard a lot of stories about what your dad dad in South America with the giants. He was one of the best! A true legend.”

Tom Sr. spoke up. “As you can see, about a hundred feet down range is a paper target, which is tied to a clothesline near the ceiling that stretches from the firing line to the end of the range. Behind the target is a quarter-inch-thick piece of tomasite, and behind the tomasite is a piece of delicate, fragile glass.”

“Oh, I get it,” the reporter replied. “You’re planning to shoot the target, hit the tomasite, and then show that the glass is unscratched. Very nice! So who is going to demonstrate this for us?”

“I’ve got dibs on this,” Irene said, grinning. She walked over to the wall and grabbed a Thompson submachine gun, then went to a nearby cabinet, unlocked it, and took ammunition from it to load the weapon.

Peele’s eyes grew wide. “You’re pretty serious about this! I was expecting a shotgun or something. Are you telling me that tomasite can stand up to fire from a fully automatic weapon?”

“We’re about to find out,” Irene said grimly. “This gun a real classic, sir. The M1 can fire 600 rounds per minute – and not just any rounds, but .45 caliber. If tomasite isn’t indestructible then this ought to blow it to shreds.”

She then took some ear plugs and protective eyewear from the cabinet and handed them out to the group. After making sure that everyone was ready she carried the loaded weapon over to the firing line, took careful aim, and pulled the trigger.

An explosion of noise filled the room as a stream of bullets tore the paper target to shreds. The force caused the tomasite sample to dance around, but it did not shatter. After a few moments Irene eased her finger off of the trigger.

As the echoing gunshots died down Tom Sr. pulled on the line that held the target and gently wheeled it back to the firing line. Meanwhile, Irene made sure that the gun’s safety was on and that there was no remaining ammunition. When she was satisfied that the gun was empty she put it back on the gun rack and relocked the cabinet.

“Amazing,” Peele said. He took the target off of the line and held it up to the light. The thin piece of tomasite was not even scratched and the glass behind it was in perfect shape, even though the paper target that had been taped to the tomasite surface was almost completely obliterated.

“You’ve really outdone yourself this time,” Ned told Tom Sr. “I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, and I still find it hard to believe. That plastic of yours has got to violate at least six different laws of physics.”

Irene laughed. “You’d be surprised at what little Swift magic can do.”

“Shall we proceed to the next test?” Tom Sr. asked.

“There’s more?” Peele asked. “You’ve already sold me, Tom. What I’ve seen in the past half hour puts tomasite up there as one of the greatest wonders of the world.”

“We still have the most important test ahead of us – the radiation test,” Tom Sr. replied. “That is where the real miracle lies. If tomasite can act as a safe radiation shield then our job will be complete.”

As the group walked out of the shooting range Ned walked over to Irene. “This is going to work, right?” he asked.

“Of course,” Irene said firmly. “This will be just like all of the other tests you’ve seen Tom do.”

Ned paled. “I sure hope not. I remember when he was testing his electric rifle, and – ”

“Are you coming with us?” Tom Sr. asked. Tom and Peele were already halfway down the hallway.

“Sorry,” Ned replied. He hurried to catch up with them.

Tom Jr. and Irene lingered behind. “Now’s your chance to run,” Tom Jr. said playfully. “It’s now or never!”

Irene smiled. “And miss your dad’s greatest triumph? I don’t think so! We’re going to make history, Tom. You wait and see.”

“That’s true – one way or the other,” Tom said dryly.

Irene stuck her tongue out at Tom and marched down the hallway. Tom laughed and ran after her.

As the two entered the radiation testing laboratory they saw a small machine mounted on a pedestal. The curious gun-like device was the only thing in the empty concrete room, and it was pointed toward a small opening in the far wall. Through the opening they could see a Geiger counter, which was connected to some wires.

“This device is a radiation emitter,” Tom Sr. explained. “When I active the emitter it will send a beam of intense radiation through that opening and to the Geiger counter on the other side of the wall, which will measure the radiation level. However, during the test I am going to lower a one-inch-thick sheet of tomasite over the opening. The material should prevent the radiation from ever reaching the Geiger counter, proving that it is an effective radiation shield.”

Peele nodded. “Sounds good, Tom. A real experiment in aperture science! But where are we going to watch the test? I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be anywhere near that emitter when it’s turned on.”

“I second the motion,” Ned added. “My doctor has put me on a strict no-radiation diet.”

Tom Sr. smiled. “The control room is right next door, gentlemen. We’ll monitor the test from there.”

After Irene made sure that everything was in place the group walked into the control room. Tom Jr. smiled when he saw that the control room had one small door, no windows, and was protected by thick concrete walls.

“Looks like you’re not taking any chances,” Tom Jr. whispered to Irene.

Irene shrugged. “Luck favors the prepared. Besides, Ned is tired of paying to rebuild the lab.”

“You better believe it,” Ned said in a low voice, after overhearing Tom’s whisper. “You’ve already exceeded your rebuilding budget for the year, young man. The Swifts can’t level any more structures until next April.”

Tom Jr. nodded while attempting to suppress a grin. “Thanks! That’s good to know.”

When everyone was ready Tom Sr. walked up to the wall and threw a large, heavy switch. A red overhead light went on, indicating that the emitter was beaming dangerous radiation at the target in the other room. The group saw that a gauge on the wall was reporting intense levels of radiation.

“As you can see,” Tom Sr. explained, “there is an exact match between the radiation being emitted and the radiation being detected by the Geiger counter. This indicates that the system is working flawlessly. Now it is time for the real test. Peele, would you care to lower the tomasite panel into place?”

Irene reached over and grabbed Tom Jr’s hand. Her knuckles turned white. “This is it,” she whispered quietly. Tom Jr. nodded but said nothing.

Peele reached over and pressed the button labeled TOMASITE SHIELD. A moment later the level of detected radiation dropped to zero, even though the emitter’s output had not fallen. The tomasite was blocking the radiation!

“Yes!” Irene shouted, startling the group. “It works! I knew it!”

Everyone laughed, and Peele jotted down some notes in his notebook. “Indeed it does, young lady! You and Tom have a lot to be proud of. You have truly produced one of the great marvels of this age!”

“Congratulations,” Ned said, clapping his old friend on the back. “I can hardly wait to get this product to market! Next year could easily be our best year ever.”

Tom Sr. shut down the test and shook Peele’s hand. “Thank you so much for coming today. Is there anything else I can do?”

Peele nodded. “Come to think of it, there is one more thing. Would you mind if I took a few pictures?”