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ke； the Piper Maru lurched to one side； then bounced back。 Collision alarms sounded throughout the ship； and several crew members lost their footing and tumbled over the side。
In the chaos that followed； cries of shock and pain and calls of 〃Man overboard〃 echoed across the deck。
〃What the hell was that？〃 shouted a crewman。
Gordon did not reply。 Instead； he carefully scanned the sky； trying to pick up any sign of the near…invisible intruder。 Finally his sharp eyes spied a swath cut through the low…hanging storm clouds。
〃It's headed for the station；〃 he called。
Leighton struggled to his feet and stared into the distance。
〃Get Quinn on the horn。〃
Katabatic winds rolled down the mountain and hit the whaling station with lethal impact。 Quinn struggled against the punishing blows of the brutal gusts and the stinging pins of driving snow； barking orders at his men until he was hoarse。
A blast struck a Hagglunds with such tremendous power that it nearly toppled the heavy vehicle onto its side。
Quinn slapped a man's head。 〃I told you to get that vehicle tied down！〃
He threw rope into the roughneck's hands and sent him scurrying。 Reichel appeared at Quinn's side and thrust a transceiver into his face。
〃Radio for you； sir！ I think it's the Maru…〃
〃You think？〃
〃It's ing through pretty garbled。〃
Quinn gave his partner a 〃What now？〃 look and seized the transceiver。
〃This is Quinn；〃 he shouted； pressing the municator to his ear。 He heard a voice and it sounded urgent； but the message was broken and unintelligible。
〃Repeat！〃 Quinn cried。 〃I can't hear you。。。 I can't。。。 ah； the hell with it！〃 Quinn thrust the radio back at Reichel。 〃Get this kit inside。〃
〃Should I try and raise the Maru again？〃
〃Don't waste your time。 Just get everybody under cover。 We'll hunker down and wait this monster out。 Should die down in about a week。〃
Quinn scanned the snow…blasted area。 His men had secured the vehicles and the equipment。 The mobile drilling platforms were secure； too； and the tripod over the mouth of the tunnel had a tent thrown over it and was lashed tight。
The expedition's bright red tents were mostly in tatters； so Quinn directed his men to the only shelter available…the stout wooden structures that had protected generations of whalers a century ago。
〃To the buildings。 Everybody inside！〃 he bellowed； clapping his gloved hands。 〃e on； people！ Move it； move it。。。〃
The crew scurried to find shelter in the century…old buildings while Quinn took one last look at the mouth of the pit。 For a moment； he wondered how Weyland and Stafford were doing down there。
Then； as Quinn turned his back on the storm to follow his roughnecks into the mess hall； an impossibly large object passed overhead； silently cutting a swath through clouds and pelting snow。 。。。
CHAPTER 13
Over Bouvetoya Island
Impervious to the winds that battered it； the near…invisible spacecraft hovered several hundred feet above the whaling station。 Saint Elmo's fire danced along the hull as the cloaking device disengaged。
With a series of dull thumps； five gleaming metal missiles fired from the belly of the Predator craft。 Like gigantic bullets； they slammed into the ground； each punching a deep crater into the solid pack ice。 A field of energy rippled； then as quickly as the vessel had appeared； it transformed into an optical blur again。 Its task plete； the starship silently wheeled into the sky and sped away。
At the bottom of one of the newly formed craters； one of the shimmering steel projectiles began to hum。 Although the katabatic winds raged around the missile； it was still possible to hear the loud hiss of escaping gases。
A hairline crack appeared on the smooth surface of the missile where there had been no joint before。 More smoky phosphorescent green gas vented into Earth's atmosphere as the crack widened。
Finally； the projectile opened。 Inside； something stirred…something alive。
Suddenly； the air was pierced by the savage howl of a predatory beast。 Its cry drowned out even the clamor of the wind and the rush of the driving snow。 。。。
CHAPTER 14
Two Thousand Feet Below Bouvetoya Island
In contrast to the hurricane force winds on the surface； all was silent as the explorers reached the bottom of the shaft。 All sounds…voices； even footsteps…seemed muffled； subdued by their echo rather than amplified。 Lex had always found this to be a curious phenomenon； unique to the Earth's deepest caverns。
Weyland sat on his backpack； his head hung low； resting。
Meanwhile Connors and a big fellow called Dane… with the help of several Weyland technicians in their ubiquitous ice…blue parkas…unpacked banks of portable halogen lamps and began setting them up。
Stepping away from the others； Lex crouched low and ran her hand along the floor。 Like the walls and ceiling； it was made of ice。 Ancient ice； glacial in origin…probably frozen a million years ago。 Which meant they were inside an ice cave and not under the Earth's crust。
Two thousand feet down and we haven't even touched solid ground yet。
Lex rose and drew a flare from her belt。 A moment later a cool； flickering blue glow illuminated a scene of ethereal beauty。 They were not in a cave； but in a grotto。 The vast chamber was lined with stalactites and stalagmites； like crystal fangs in a sparkling glass jaw。 In this light； everything shimmered and pulsed。 The ancient ice was translucent； and like the heart of a diamond it seemed to radiate with an inner brilliance。
Sebastian gasped。 〃It's 。。。 beautiful。〃
〃Quite the way you have with words；〃 Lex said； approaching him。
Ahead； the grotto opened into a much larger space roofed by a vast ceiling vaulting into the darkness。
〃No telling how large this cavern is；〃 Sebastian said。
Lex touched his arm。 〃By the way； thanks for the heads…up back there。〃
Sebastian grinned。 〃Well； seeing as Antarctica is the most hostile environment on God's Earth； I just figured we should be looking out for each other。〃
Lex laughed。 〃Nice to know someone was paying attention to my lecture。〃
Maxwell Stafford stared apprehensively into the darkness beyond the grotto。 〃Let's get those lights up。〃
〃Any second now； boss；〃 Connors replied。
〃How do those cables look？〃
Dane grinned。 〃Nobody's talking to us from up there； but the generator's still humming。〃 He touched the wires together； and a spark leaped between them。 〃These cables are hot。〃
〃Good；〃 said Max。 〃Let's start hooking them up。〃
Charles Weyland rose and crossed the grotto。 The descent had taken its toll on the man's weakened constitution…his shoulders slumped； and he seemed more haggard and drawn than Max had ever seen him； even during the worst of the chemotherapy。
〃I don't understand；〃 Weyland said； breathless。 〃No equipment。 No sign of another team…〃
〃Well； this tunnel didn't dig itself。〃
〃We have power！〃 cried Connors。
Max nodded。 〃Let's light her up。〃
All at once； multiple banks of halogen floodlights blinked to life。 For a few seconds the sudden brilliance and the twinkling reflections off the ice blinded them all。 Squinting against the glare； it was Lex who slowly lowered the hand shielding he