New Terra's magnetic field is currently in a period of flux, as fossil records indicate Earth's was during several periods of prehistory when the north and south magnetic poles flipped repeatedly. Though this phenomenon was known, it has never been observed. One of the biggest surprises was to learn that during the flip, the planet's magnetic field begins small but rapid movements.

Such movement suggested that it might be possible to extract free and almost unlimited electric energy from the planet itself, but a new method had to be developed to tap the vast, but relatively weak and slow moving (by electrical generating standards), magnetic fields. The MHD Generator uses an array of coaxial Buckytubes, a few nanometers in diameter but tens of kilometers long, which are drilled outward from the plant through the soil using microscopic drill tools. Through this array of tubes, bursts of conductive plasma are sent at significant fractions of the speed of light, where they interact with the planet's magnetic field, are recirculated, and run through a Patterson coil: several more miles of Buckytube wound on a superconducting core and surrounded in turn by a second superconducting coil. The Patterson effect causes induction between the coil and core, creating electricity.

The MHD Generator requires no fuel, but maintenance is a consideration. Though Buckytubes are pound-for-pound the strongest substance known, they are also very thin, and in this application often buried only a few centimeters under the surface. They are easily damaged, must be constantly monitored, and when appropriate, repaired or replaced. This task is highly automated, however (just as well, considering the nano-scale of the tubes), and the need for on-site human maintenance is minimal.

Operational Notes: The MHD (Magnetohydrodynamic) Generator produces 400 units of Power. NOTE: This structure is available only to Plymouth. This structure explodes when destroyed and may spontaneously explode when damaged.

Tales from New Terra

The CC's Power Monitoring room was quiet as Linda Rahn arrived shortly before third shift, the wide console a sea of green lights and low indicators. Considering it was her first shift at a job she hadn't been trained for, she was relieved. Karl Dau leaned back in his chair and seemed to know what she was thinking. "It's a dull shift; that's why we're here. Normally, the room is manned only during peak power demands, when a malfunction in one of the power plants is most likely, but this way I can run you through the systems with little chance of real trouble."

She nodded, pulled out the second chair, and sat down nervously. When Karl had recruited her for the Utilities Department, fresh out of University, she'd been taken aback. She'd trained as a design engineer, and had expected to work in the Vehicle Factory, or the Structure Factory, or even elsewhere in the CC. But she knew that there were staffing shortages in many departments and an excess of engineers. Everyone had to pitch in where they were most needed if the starship was to be completed.

Karl smiled. "Don't worry. You'll get a transfer out eventually."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. She and Karl had hit it off immediately, and he had a disconcerting way of knowing what people were thinking before they said it. Well, he knew what she was thinking, anyway. "It's not like you aren't good company, but I want to do some creative work. Sitting here staring at indicators all day isn't my idea of fulfillment."

He tapped a few icons and pulled up another set of monitor screens. "Good thing you don't insist on my company. You'll work alone most of the time. I suggest bringing some good audio novels. There's an input on the console over here that you can route through. It will auto-mute the book when something important happens."

"Be still my beating heart; I can hardly wait for the excitement to start."

He chuckled. "It's important work, and it has its rewards, but I won't blame you if you transfer out. Me, I was trained for horticulture. Somehow, when the transfer came, I decided I liked the quiet down here, and never got out." He turned his attention back to the console for a moment. "You know your fusion systems?"

"You know I do. That was my minor at University. Probably why you picked me."

"Well, review just the same. The big Tokamaks aren't your little vehicle cool-fusion units, and when they go bad, it can be pretty spectacular. How about the MHD Generator?

She shook her head. "We didn't get much about it, actually. I just figure it's too new. Of course, I heard some of my professors claiming it can't work."

"That just means they don't understand it. Nobody understands it but Patterson."

"Patterson?"

"The guy who came up with the concept. He's a recluse, a genius's genius, discoverer of the Patterson effect, inventor of the Patterson coil. Without him, this thing wouldn't exist."

"So how does it work?"

Karl looked at her. "I told you, nobody knows." He pulled up a simple map of the colony on his screen. Radiating straight out from the MHD Generator building were about 50 thin lines. Most were green, a couple were red. As he increased the scale of the map, the lines could be seen radiating out for kilometers. "These are Buckytubes, tiny pipes made out of carbon. Only a couple of nanometers across, but up to 10 kilometers long. Very strong, very tiny. Each one is, essentially, a single carbon molecule. Actually, each of these lines is two tubes, placed coaxially inside one another. The generator shoots conductive plasma out through the inner tube, it returns through the outer tube. It goes through the Patterson coils, those big cylinders, superconductors, and lots more Buckytube, and power comes out. Somehow." He shrugged. "You don't have to know how it works to know what it does, when it goes wrong, or how to fix it. It works. Have faith."

She shook her head in amazement. "Is this a power plant, or a church?"

"A little of both, I'd say. You ready to go over the systems? It's going to take a couple hours."

She noticed that she was hot. "Let me take off my jacket, roll up my sleeves, and let's get to work." She stood, took off the coat, and noticed the utility storage unit in the far wall. She opened what looked like a closet door, and sure enough, saw an empty closet with a hanging rod at the top and a few plastic hangers. She reached for one.

"Uh, uh, uh," Karl clucked. "Not there. Never put anything in there. That's the Patterson closet."

She stared at him. "The Patterson closet?" She gestured at the empty space. "And I suppose this plays some important role in power generation too?"

He nodded.

She kept waiting for the punch line, but there didn't seem to be one. "You're serious?"

"There's a hook by the door. Use that."

She looked at the closet, swung it closed, and hung her coat on the hook. She sat down and looked at Karl.

The corner of his mouth twitched up a bit. "Have faith."

She sighed and turned her attention to the console. Mostly, the work held her attention, but occasionally she would think about the closet visible at the edge of her vision, and wonder what Karl was talking about.

It was about an hour later when she glanced at the door for perhaps the tenth time. This time the door opened.

A man stepped out. He was short, a little stocky, bald on top, dark hair fringed his head, and he had plump, rosy cheeks. He seemed distracted, but his eyes sparkled with a certain intelligence. The man looked at her, nodded in greeting, then walked across the room and out the door.

Karl never even hesitated in his lecture until she jumped out of her chair and ran to the closet. She swung the door open. It was empty. The hangers still swung slightly, but there was no other sign that the man had been there, and certainly not a clue as to how he got inside. She put her hand against the back wall and pushed. It was solid and unyielding. She looked at Karl.

"He'll be back. He probably just went to get lunch - a hot dog with relish and mustard, and a diet soda."

She blinked and looked at the Patterson closet. "That was?"

He nodded. "That was Patterson."

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