why your matter continually disintegrated
to ordinary energy. The energy was not bound properly.

"But the reason why it would blow up so was obvious. It did not take
much to destroy the slight hold that the artificial matter had on its
field, and then it instantly proceeded to release all its energy at
once. And as you poured millions of horsepower into it all day to fill
it, it naturally raised merry hell when it let loose."

Arcot was speaking eagerly, excitedly.

"But here is the great fact, the important thing: It is artificially
created in a given place. It is made, and exists at the point determined
by these three coordinated dials. It is not natural, and can exist only
where it is made and nowhere else--obvious, but important. It cannot
exist save at the point designated. Then, if that point moves along a
line, the artificial matter must follow that moving point and be always
at that point. Suppose now that a slab of steel is on that line. The
point moves to it--through it. To exist, that artificial matter _must_
follow it through the steel--if not, it is destroyed. Then the steel is
attempting to destroy the artificial matter. If the matter has
sufficient energy, it will force the steel out of the way, and
penetrate. The same is true of any other matter, lux metal or relux--it
will penetrate. To continue in existence it must. And it has great
energy, and will expend every erg of that energy of existence to
continue existence.

"It is, as long as its energy holds out, absolutely irresistible!

"But similarly, if it is at a given point, it must stay there, and will
expend every erg staying there. It is then immovable! It is either
irresistible in motion, or immovable in static condition. It is the
irresistible and the immovable!

"What happens if the irresistible meets the immovable? It can only fight
with its energy of existence, and the more energetic prevails."

Chapter X

IMPROVEMENTS AND CALCULATIONS

"It is still incredible. But you have done it. It is certainly
successful!" said the Talsonian scientist with conviction.

Arcot shook his head. "Far from it--we have not realized a thousandth
part of the tremendous possibilities of this invention. We must work and
calculate and then invent.

"Think of the possibilities as a shield--naturally if we can make the
matter we should be able to control its properties in any way we like.
We should be able to make it opaque, transparent, or any co