Deep Fathom

Jack rubbed the tingling from his arms, then flipped the switch. “What were you doing?”

Using tongs, Charlie picked up the star. The steel clamps holding it glowed hot. “Hmm…interesting…”

“What?”

The geologist tilted the star for Jack to see. Within the clamps, the crystal had cracked in half.

“What does it mean?” Jack asked.

Charlie looked up. “I’m not sure yet.”

Karen tried not to cry. She sat on a narrow cot in a cabin no larger than a half bath. What was she going to do? David had gathered the entire crew of the station in the dining room. He spent fifteen minutes browbeating them all. One of the scientists made the mistake of asking a simple question. For his impudence, David shattered his nose with a sudden blow. The room had grown deathly silent afterward. David had proven his point. He was the master here. After his demonstration, he stormed out with Karen in tow.

She soon found herself locked in this cabin. It all seemed impossible, hopeless. Over the past two days, she had hardly slept at all. She was sore, exhausted, and drained.

She rested her face in her hands. She couldn’t do this alone.

As a sob welled up from deep inside, a soft knock sounded on her door. “Dr. Grace?”

She sat up, wary. “Who is it?”

“It’s Dr. Cortez. May I come in?”

Karen almost choked with relief. “Of course.”

She stood as she heard the key in the lock. The older scientist slipped in and closed the door behind him. “I’m sorry to disturb you so late.”

“No, it’s okay. I can use the company.” She allowed the relief to ring in her voice.

“He’s one scary bastard, isn’t he? I should never have left you alone down there. I wasn’t thinking. I was too excited about your discovery of the co

Karen sat down. She waved him to the sole stool. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“Well, after this is over, I’m filing a formal complaint.”

She nodded, allowing him the fantasy that it would have any impact. Spangler was operating under the guise of the highest office in the nation. He could act with full impunity.

Cortez continued, “I came here to see if you could help us. We’re still having trouble deciphering these glyphs.”

Karen swallowed. If there was to be any hope, it was time to start trusting someone else. No more games. “Dr. Cortez, I haven’t been totally honest.”

“What do you mean?”

“I possess the full translation. Not only of the pillar’s inscription, but additional texts written at the time of the obelisk’s discovery.”

Cortez sat stu

“I have information I must get to someone in authority,” Karen said. “Someone out of Spangler’s chain of command.”

“Information about what?”

“About the end of the world.”

Cortez frowned, looking doubtful.

Karen stood. “I know how it must sound. But get me to the workstation on Level 2, and I’ll get you proof.”

Still, he hesitated.

Karen stared him down. “After tonight’s demonstration, who are you willing to trust more, Spangler or me?”

Cortez bowed his head for a moment, then pushed off his stool. “That’s no contest. C’mon, the commander is bunked out in his cabin, but his second-in-command is patrolling. Stick to my side. As long as you’re with me, we should be okay.” He opened the door.

Karen followed him out. Though there was no ban on her being free under supervision, it still felt like a prison break. Both crept silently through the living quarters, peeking around corners, holding their breath. No one was around.

They got to the ladder heading down to the lab level, and Cortez went first. He signaled the all clear for her to follow. As she climbed, the interlevel hatch sealed with a snug hiss. Silently, they worked around the ring of labs to the tiny station assigned to her.

“What now?” Cortez asked, glancing about the deserted space.

Karen pointed Cortez to the chair, while she remained standing. “I have the data on a disk.” Reaching past him, she punched the keyboard, calling up the information.

Data scrolled across the screen. She helped guide the researcher through the information, pointing out the text of the platinum book and where it was found. She gave him a shortened version of her own exploits and Jack’s.

After a bit, Cortez waved her silent. He leaned closer, his fingers flying over the keyboard, calling up screen after screen of data. Much of it was too technical for Karen, but Cortez was drinking it up. “This Charles Mollier is an amazing scientist. What he’s discovered about the crystal in such a short time — it’s astounding! But it corroborates much of my own early testing.” He continued reading through the streaming text and graphs.

As he did so, Karen watched his face slowly change from amazement to horror. Once done, he sat back and took off his glasses. “I knew we should have proceeded with more caution. It’s madness to be fooling with a power of this magnitude.”

She crouched beside him. “Will you help get this to somebody who will listen? We have only fifteen hours until the solar storm strikes.”

“Yes, of course. I have friends at Los Alamos and at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. There are ways to circumvent the normal government cha

Karen felt a surge of hope.

Cortez rubbed his eyes. “Is there any more data?”

“I’m not sure. That’s all they sent me. But I can find out.”

“How?”

She typed in Gabriel’s code on the computer keyboard. Almost immediately, a voice came over the speakers. “How may I help you, Dr. Grace?”

“Who is that?” Cortez asked.

“No one…really.” Karen directed her attention back to the computer. “Gabriel, I need to contact the Deep Fathom.”

“Of course. Right away.”

The co

“I have Dr. Cortez with me. He’s willing to help.”

Miyuki vanished from the camera’s view for a few moments, then Jack and Charlie appeared. Introductions were quickly made.

“Do either of you have any recommendations?” Cortez asked. “I can get the information to the right people, but what then? From the data, I can only assume we must find a way to block the solar storm’s bombardment from reaching the main deposit. That leaves few options.”

Jack nodded. “We’ve been discussing it. The easiest method is to shield the pillar. Bury it, seal it in a lead box, something like that. But I don’t know if either is feasible in the narrow time frame. If this can’t be done, then we take our chances and adjust the explosives to a specific focused charge, aimed at cracking the pillar from its base.”

Cortez frowned. “But the kinetic energy from the blast—”

“We know, but like I said, it’s our second option. And it’s better than doing nothing because there’s only one option after that.”

“And what might that be?”

“We kiss our asses good-bye.”

Cortez’s face grew grim.

Charlie spoke into the silence. “I’ll keep working with the crystal, see if I can come up with anything else.” But he didn’t sound hopeful.

Jack continued, “That leaves only one other obstacle — Spangler. I can’t risk leaving Karen over there any longer than necessary. Once word reaches David that you’re going behind his back, her life won’t be worth a plug nickel. We need to make sure she’s out of there before Spangler finds out what we’re doing.”

Cortez frowned. “That’ll be difficult. Tomorrow morning they’re evacuating the station as a safety precaution before they blow the explosives. I already checked on the departure schedule. Karen and I are the last to leave, along with Spangler.”

Karen moved in front of the camera. “And after today’s incident, I doubt Spangler will let me out of his sight tomorrow.”