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the pieces； affix them to one another； connect the whole thing to the ice with pitons and wires。 Looks like an enclosed big top tent； but it's actually the NASA prototype for the portable habitat we hope to use on Mars someday。 We call it a 'habisphere。'〃
〃Habisphere？〃
〃Yeah； get it？ Because it's not a whole sphere； it's only habi…sphere。〃
Rachel smiled and stared out at the bizarre building now looming closer on the glacial plain。 〃And because NASA hasn't gone to Mars yet； you guys decided to have a big sleepover out here instead？〃
The man laughed。 〃Actually； I would have preferred Tahiti； but fate pretty much decided the location。〃
Rachel gazed uncertainly up at the edifice。 The off…white shell was a ghostly contour against a dark sky。 As the IceRover neared the structure； it ground to a stop at a small door on the side of the dome； which was now opening。 Light from inside spilled out onto the snow。 A figure stepped out。 He was a bulky giant wearing a black fleece pullover that amplified his size and made him look like a bear。 He moved toward the IceRover。
Rachel had no doubt who the huge man was： Lawrence Ekstrom； administrator of NASA。
The driver gave a solacing grin。 〃Don't let his size fool you。 The guy's a pussycat。〃
More like a tiger； Rachel thought； well acquainted with Ekstrom's reputation for biting the heads off those who stood in the way of his dreams。
When Rachel climbed down from the IceRover； the wind almost blew her over。 She wrapped the coat around herself and moved toward the dome。
The NASA administrator met her halfway； extending a huge gloved paw。 〃Ms。 Sexton。 Thank you for ing。〃
Rachel nodded uncertainly and shouted over the howling wind。 〃Frankly； sir； I'm not sure I had much choice。〃
？ ？ ？
A thousand meters farther up the glacier； Delta…One gazed through infrared binoculars and watched as the administrator of NASA ushered Rachel Sexton into the dome。
19
NASA administrator Lawrence Ekstrom was a giant of a man； ruddy and gruff； like an angry Norse god。 His prickly blond hair was cropped military short above a furrowed brow； and his bulbous nose was spidered with veins。 At the moment； his stony eyes drooped with the weight of countless sleepless nights。 An influential aerospace strategist and operations adviser at the Pentagon before his appointment to NASA； Ekstrom had a reputation for surliness matched only by his incontestable dedication to whatever mission was at hand。
As Rachel Sexton followed Lawrence Ekstrom into the habisphere； she found herself walking through an eerie； translucent maze of hallways。 The labyrinthine network appeared to have been fashioned by hanging sheets of opaque plastic across tautly strung wires。 The floor of the maze was nonexistent…a sheet of solid ice； carpeted with strips of rubber matting for traction。 They passed a rudimentary living area lined with cots and chemical toilets。
Thankfully； the air in the habisphere was warm； albeit heavy with the mingled potpourri of indistinguishable smells that acpany humans in tight quarters。 Somewhere a generator droned； apparently the source of the electricity that powered the bare bulbs hanging from draped extension cords in the hallway。
〃Ms。 Sexton；〃 Ekstrom grunted； guiding her briskly toward some unknown destination。 〃Let me be candid with you right from the start。〃 His tone conveyed anything but pleasure to have Rachel as his guest。 〃You are here because the President wants you here。 Zach Herney is a personal friend of mine and a faithful NASA supporter。 I respect him。 I owe him。 And I trust him。 I do not question his direct orders； even when I resent them。 Just so there is no confusion； be aware that I do not share the President's enthusiasm for involving you in this matter。〃
Rachel could only stare。 I traveled three thousand miles for this kind of hospitality？ This guy was no Martha Stewart。 〃With all due respect；〃 she fired back； 〃I am also under presidential orders。 I have not been told my purpose here。 I made this trip on good faith。〃
〃Fine；〃 Ekstrom said。 〃Then I will speak bluntly。〃
〃You've made a damn good start。〃
Rachel's tough response seemed to jolt the administrator。 His stride slowed a moment； his eyes clearing as he studied her。 Then； like a snake uncoiling； he heaved a long sigh and picked up the pace。
〃Understand；〃 Ekstrom began； 〃that you are here on a classified NASA project against my better judgment。 Not only are you a representative of the NRO； whose director enjoys dishonoring NASA personnel as loose…lipped children； but you are the daughter of the man who has made it his personal mission to destroy my agency。 This should be NASA's hour in the sun； my men and women have endured a lot of criticism lately and deserve this moment of glory。 However； due to a torrent of skepticism spearheaded by your father； NASA finds itself in a political situation where my hardworking personnel are forced to share the spotlight with a handful of random civilian scientists and the daughter of the man who is trying to destroy us。〃
I am not my father； Rachel wanted to shout； but this was hardly the moment to debate politics with the head of NASA。 〃I did not e here for the spotlight； sir。〃
Ekstrom glared。 〃You may find you have no alternative。〃
The ment took her by surprise。 Although President Herney had said nothing specific about her assisting him in any sort of 〃public〃 way； William Pickering had certainly aired his suspicions that Rachel might bee a political pawn。 〃I'd like to know what I'm doing here；〃 Rachel demanded。
〃You and me both。 I do not have that information。〃
〃I'm sorry？〃
〃The President asked me to brief you fully on our discovery the moment you arrived。 Whatever role he wants you to play in this circus is between you and him。〃
〃He told me your Earth Observation System had made a discovery。〃
Ekstrom glanced sidelong at her。 〃How familiar are you with the EOS project？〃
〃EOS is a constellation of five NASA satellites which scrutinize the earth in different ways…ocean mapping； geologic fault analyses； polar ice…melt observation； location of fossil fuel reserves…〃
〃Fine；〃 Ekstrom said； sounding unimpressed。 〃So you're aware of the newest addition to the EOS constellation？ It's called PODS。〃
Rachel nodded。 The Polar Orbiting Density Scanner （PODS） was designed to help measure the effects of global warming。 〃As I understand it； PODS measures the thickness and hardness of the polar ice cap？〃
〃In effect； yes。 It uses spectral band technology to take posite density scans of large regions and find softness anomalies in the ice…slush spots； internal melting； large fissures…indicators of global warming。〃
Rachel was familiar with posite density scanning。 It was like a subterranean ultrasound。 NRO satellites had used similar technology to search for subsurface density variants in Eastern Europe and locate mass burial sites； which confirmed for the President that ethnic cleansing was indeed going on。
〃Two weeks ago；〃 Ekstrom said； 〃PODS passed over this ice shelf and spotted a density anomaly that looked nothing like anything we'd expected to see。 Two hundred feet beneath the surface； perfectly embedded in