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Gotaro smiled at him。 〃That's what took me so long down in the Oka。 I was working the nose loose。 I jettisoned it at about eighteen thousand feet。 It made quite a bang。〃
〃Didn't notice。〃
Gotaro shook his head。 〃You were too busy。〃 His smiled washed over Nangi again； easing his pain。 〃You saved us； you know。 The minute those rockets misfired I was certain we were dead。 We would have been but for what you did。〃
Nangi closed his eyes。 Saying three words had depleted all the strength that was left him。
When he awoke again； Gotaro was bent over his legs； trying to do something。
〃What's going on？〃 Nangi said。
Gotaro turned quickly away from what he was doing。 〃Just checking on your wounds。〃 His eyes slid away from Nangi's toward the heaving sea。
〃No land。〃
〃What？〃 Gotaro said。 〃No。 None at all。 I thought we might be close enough to one of the Marianas； but I don't think that's the case now。〃
〃Noguchi will find us soon enough。〃
〃Yes；〃 Gotaro said。 〃I suppose he will。〃
〃He'll want to know what went wrong。 All the vice…admirals and admirals in the Imperial Navy will want to know。 They've got to get us back safe and sound。〃
Gotaro said nothing； his gaze roving this way and that across the water。
〃Where's that storm we saw before？〃 It was difficult for Nangi to talk and he was monstrously thirsty。 But he would not give it up。 In the silence the thought of the awesome yawning Trench falling away below them would fill his mind with dark twistings and his stomach would lurch and he would begin to retch in irrational terror。
〃The wind hasn't shifted yet；〃 Gotaro said absently。 〃It's still hanging in the northwest。〃 Clearly his mind was on other matters。 What they were Nangi could not guess。 Nor would he ask。
There was a silence between them then。 Just the wind whistling； a constant force against them like an invisible wall； and the long up…and…down motion caused by the swell of the sea； sickeningly regular。 Nangi longed to see even one gull； pulling and swooping across the barren horizon； harbinger of land。
He was still wet； and the wind crawling through the rents and gaps in his uniform caused his skin to raise itself in gooseflesh。 His bladder was unfortably full and； grunting with the effort； he turned heavily away from Gotaro； urinated awkwardly； trusting for the wind and the motion to take it away from them。
It was true； something was wrong with his legs。 He willed them to work and they would not。 Painfully he raised himself up and grabbed at his flesh。 He could feel nothing； his legs might have been made of wood。
To take his mind off the numbing thought of paralysis； he began to look around him。 For the first time he noticed what it was they were riding on。 It was part of the heavily baffled bulkhead from the Mitsubishi。 In this case the modifications had worked to their advantage。 All the heavy insulation against ground and air fire which would have pulled them down into the sea had been stripped away； replaced by lightweight baffling that trapped air in its webbing。
Nangi grunted to himself。 Noguchi and the admirals would be happy with that knowledge； he thought ironically。 Even if their precious Cherry Blossom refused to fall。
Exhausted； he lay back down； closing his eyes； but the lurch and drag of the heaving tide was not conducive to rest。 He looked at Gotaro。 He was sitting cross…legged； still as a statue。 Perhaps he was praying。 Perhaps he felt no fear。 If that were the case； Nangi envied him。
Fatigue and shock caused his mind to wander。 He was no longer aware of whether he was awake or asleep。 On the borderline； in twilight cerebration； all the black unnameable fears he had been harboring took hold； gaining ascendancy in his world。
He was aware of his own isolation； of himself as a lone bobbing speck； totally exposed and defenseless。 He saw himself on the makeshift raft； felt the pain of his wounds； even the intermittent bursts of warmth amid the otherwise chill of the unforgiving wind。
And abruptly he was no longer alone； for rising like some demon phantasm from the bottomless depths of the sea below him was a terrifying shape。 Oh； and how the waves rose higher all about him as if an invisible storm had e up。 Great black pyramids built and crested dangerously high； pulling him downward； spinning him into cavernous troughs as endless as tunnels。
Terrified； he clung to the rough surface of his raft； his heart beating triphammer hard； paining his chest； as he waited for what he knew must e。
And then it did breach the water； a monstrous creature from the lightless ocean depths； so enormous it blotted out the stars in the sky： a kraken with glowing eyes and gaping jaws and long writhing tentacles like cables。
Nangi's eyes bulged and he screamed。
Gotaro shook him awake。 〃Tanzan。 Tanzan！〃 he called urgently in his ear。 〃Wake up！ Wake up now！〃
Nangi's eyes flew open。 He was drenched in sweat which； cooling in the gusting wind； sent chill shivers running through him。 It took him several minutes to focus his good eye。 Then he saw the look on his friend's face。
〃We're in trouble。〃
〃What is it？〃 Nangi had to talk around his tongue which seemed swollen and recalcitrant。 〃The enemy？〃
〃I wish I had made a sighting；〃 Gotaro said。 〃Anyone。〃 His arms held Nangi close； his warmth calming the other's almost constant shivers。 〃I held off telling you because I thought I could do something about it。 But now。。。〃 He shrugged。 〃You have some wounds。 How serious they are I cannot tell。 But you've been losing some blood。〃
Of course； Nangi thought； angry that he had not realized it himself。 That explained the weakness； the brief periods of warmth he felt。
〃I've tried everything I know to staunch the loss of blood。 I've brought it down to a trickle but still。。。〃 His eyes were very sad。
〃I don't understand；〃 Nangi said。 〃Am I dying？〃
At that moment their makeshift raft gave a shuddering lurch。 Apparently Gotaro was prepared for it because he grabbed Nangi hard with one arm； held on with the other。 Still； such was the force of the jar that they both slewed around on the hard surface of the…bulkhead。
Gotaro's face was very close to Nangi's。 Nangi could see the reflection of his own frightened face in the curve of the ebon iris。
〃Look out there。〃
Gotaro's voice sounded like a death knell to Nangi as his gaze followed his friend's lead。
〃No！〃 His voice was a sharp bark； a terror…filled exhalation。 For there just off their starboard flank was the great black triangular fin of a hunting shark。 As Nangi watched； bile caught in his throat； the slightly curved fin swung around； and now it headed straight toward them。 It loomed large； so large。 And Nangi could imagine the size of the beast beneath。 Thirty feet； forty。 Its gaping jaws。。。
His eyes squeezed shut at the next lurch； his stomach turning over and he was retching again； what little there was left in him spewing up all over himself and Gotaro。
〃No；〃 he moaned。 〃Oh； no。〃 But he was far too weak to raise his voice。 It was his worst nightmare e to life。 Death held no terror for him。 But this。。。
〃That's why I was trying to stop the bleeding so pletely。 He picked us up over an hour ago； when