按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
n't told Abramanov that； the man had been grateful enough to be saved from drowning in an angry sea。 Abramanov； like many people with thoroughly analytical minds； had an irrational fear。 Rock supposed it was his good karma that Abramanov's phobia was drowning。 He wasn't too crazy about sharks； either； which made him all the more grateful for the timely rescue。
Rock stood at the railing with Abramanov。 He removed his sunglasses； squinted as the first line of nimbostratus occluded the sun。 The light had abruptly turned leaden。 〃If the weather holds；〃 he said； 〃we'll have the robot down to the plane within an hour。〃
He stared down into the ocean； trying hard to imagine the Soviet aircraft lying on an outcropping at the edge of an abyss of unimaginable depth。 But already the water was darkening to the color of pitch。
The storm had blown in while they were too far out to sea。 The captain of Rock's patrol boat was a small Vietnamese who knew these waters better than many men twenty years his senior。 〃The storm； when it es； will be a bad one；〃 he said in his lilting voice。 〃But if we turn back now； we will be heading broadside into the brunt of it； and I don't believe I want to do that。〃
Rock nodded。 〃Good； neither do I。 Hold your position； then； and we'll go to work。〃 He turned to Abramanov。 〃How will the robot perform in this weather？〃
To prove his gratitude； Abramanov had spent the months of his rehab constructing a submersible robot； a seven…foot titanium shell housing a network of laser…guided telemetry； mini…puters； navigation transducers； sonar； a plement of turbo thrusters； articulated arms with sophisticated fingerlike pincer ends； video cameras； tungsten spotlights； backup lithium batteries； and the like； all connected with the shipboard puter via a fiber…optic cable bundle。
The plex creation appeared to be child's play for Abramanov； who cobbled most of the robot's ponent parts from Rock's vast storehouse of military ordnance。 Part of the robot's design was based on the specialized manipulator 〃hands〃 Abramanov had built for his high…flux neutron…field hot room in Arzamas…16。
〃The robot will be fine；〃 Abramanov said。 〃It will be six hundred feet below the surface and won't feel a thing。 It's us that will be the problem if the storm really kicks in。 If we can't hold our position and can't get the robot up in time； the cable could be severed and we'd lose the robot。〃
〃Get it over the side；〃 Rock said。
〃But …〃
〃Do you want the cargo to sit underwater until some undersea quake breaks open the DU casings？〃
〃God forbid！ The consequences of such an event would be catastrophic。〃
〃So you've said。 Is the robot on the ridge yet？〃
〃I am still suspended。〃
Abramanov had a curious habit when connected with the camera eyes and claw hands of the robot to put himself in its place。
Rock pulled up the hood of his slicker； went out on deck。 Seawater washed across his ankles as the deck canted； then righted itself； the water sluiced away。
He went back into the cabin； where Abramanov sat cabled to the descending robot。 〃Where are we？〃
〃Almost there；〃 Abramanov said； checking his bank of portable puters； 〃I'm twenty feet from the upper level of the ledge。〃
〃Too bad we couldn't drop it closer； on the lower level； but the outcroppings the discrete…image sonar picked up would almost certainly have cut the cable。〃 Rock shook his head。 〃We don't even know whether he will be able to walk down to the bottom level。〃
A spray of rain hit the windows with the force of a hammer throw。 The boat rocked at its mooring。 Rock glanced at the captain； but he was too busy giving orders to notice。
〃I'm on the ledge。〃
Rock returned his attention to Abramanov； who was re…checking the plethora of sophisticated telemetry ing in from the robot's remote sensors。
〃What does it look like？〃
〃Slow。 Serene。 Unlike up here。 I will show you。〃
Abramanov switched on the video camera； made some adjustments。 On the twelve…inch monitor a perfect image appeared of the immediate environs of the shale ledge six hundred feet below him。
Awed； despite himself； Rock whispered； 〃I see the ledge floor。 Go forward。〃
The image shifted； and Rock felt almost as if he himself had begun to walk that narrow shale ridge below that hung over thousands of fathoms of water under pressure so severe it would burst apart anything man…made。
〃It's surprisingly easy；〃 Abramanov reported。 〃It is not steep。〃
〃According to the sonar sweeps； that will change very soon and very quickly。〃
〃Yes； yes。 I know。〃
Abramanov was locked into the wonder of his underwater world。 Rock wondered what it must be like linked so pletely into the sensors of a machine。 He didn't care for the thought； but for a scientist like Abramanov it must have been heaven。
〃Be careful。〃
Rock saw the image changing。 Within the light field he could see the striations of the shale ledge； floating bits in the water： diadems of plankton； mixed perhaps with bits of shale and biological detritus the robot had disturbed as it moved along the ledge。 A tiny translucent squid passing in and out of the theater of vision。 Nothing else。
〃The drop…off begins；〃 Abramanov informed him。
The rain was a constant hammering now； and the boat was bobbing on the gathering swells。 〃Everything okay with the mechanical systems？〃 And when Abramanov nodded； he said； 〃Is the drop…off continuing？〃
〃Accelerating。 The sonar readings are off by point five percent。〃
〃Not too bad。〃
〃The difference might have caused serious injury to a human diver。 See？〃
Rock did。 The irregular shale had e off in thick； long plates； creating a kind of rift in the ledge。 〃Can the robot negotiate the chasm？〃
〃No problem。〃
Rock was suddenly aware of a feeling of weightlessness； and he made a grab for the hatch opening。 Then the shale ridge came up into the light again； and the eerie sensation was gone。 He could see that though the ledge now sloped down at a far steeper angle； it was somewhat wider than it had been up top。 He waited； tossed by the storm on the surface。
〃Problem。〃
Rock's stomach tightened； and not just from the increasingly frenzied motion of the boat。 〃Nature？〃
〃I'd better show you。〃
The image on the monitor shifted； and Rock experienced a disconcerting sense of vertigo。 Then the image stabilized and he could see the phalanx of outcroppings； sharp as lances； that shot out just in front of the robot。
〃Can the robot get through？〃
〃The ledge appears impassable for the next sixty…five feet。 Beyond that is the abyss。〃
No； Rock thought。 We're so close； I will not be stopped short。 There must be a way。
As if reading his mind； Abramanov said； 〃I believe there's a way around the impasse。〃
〃Tell me；〃
〃If you use the cable to swing me off the ledge at the angle I calculate； the forward momentum will drive me past the blockage and back onto the ledge。〃
〃Do it。〃
Abramanov hesitated。 〃There is a caveat。〃
Rock's stomach was now doing flip…flops。 〃Only one？〃
〃When my momentum brings me in past the outcroppings； there's a chance the cable will be severed。〃
〃If that happens； the robot and the objective will be lost。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃What are the od