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The class didn't take nearly as long as I'd hoped it would。 〃That's it？〃 I asked as the last page of data scrolled to the top of the puter display。 〃That's all they found？〃
〃Be thankful we have even this much；〃 she countered tartly。 But there were worry lines creasing her forehead； too。 Perhaps； like me； she was starting to realize just how much of a long shot this whole scheme really was。 〃The idea wasn't to sit there on Meima until they had the whole thing figured out to five decimals； you know。 The minute they realized what they had； they shot that message off to Dad。 This isn't much more than the five weeks it took to get the Icarus parts shipped in and put together。〃
〃I suppose；〃 I conceded； scowling at the meter…square opening into the sphere； a disguised access panel that Tera had luckily known how to open。 〃And they never got more than a couple of meters inside？〃
〃No；〃 she said。 〃They were afraid of crossing circuits or damaging something else along the way。 You can see for yourself what a maze of conduits and loose wires it is in there。〃
I stretched flat along the hull beside the hole and shined a light in。 She was right： It was a jungle in there。 〃Reminds me of the engine room；〃 I said； playing the light around some more。 It looked like there were panels of glowing lights on what little I could see of the wall through the wiring。 〃I wonder if it was planned that way or if all the cable ties just fell apart over the years。 You said there was another access from the other side of the sphere？〃
〃Yes； behind the secondary breaker panel in the engine room；〃 she said。 〃They put hinges on the breaker panel so that it swings right out。〃
〃Has it got a better view than this one？〃
〃Not really。〃 She gestured toward the access hole。 〃They tried sending in probes； but the umbilicals kept getting caught on the wiring and Dr。 Chou was afraid they'd tear something trying to get them loose。 They had one self…guided probe that got in a little farther； but something confused its sensors and it froze up pletely。〃
〃Well； we're not going to get anywhere without a plete idea of what's in there；〃 I said。
〃I hope you're not suggesting one of us go inside；〃 she said darkly。 〃If the probes couldn't make it through； you certainly won't。〃
〃I like to think I'm a bit more petent at working my way through tangled wiring than someone tugging blindly on a probe control；〃 I told her。 〃As it happens； though； I was thinking of starting with someone slightly smaller。〃
She frowned。 〃Who？〃
I nodded in the direction of the engine room。 〃Go get Ixil；〃 I said； 〃and I'll show you。〃
Ixil wasn't any more enthusiastic about my idea than Tera was。 〃I don't know； Jordan；〃 he said； stroking Pax's head uneasily as he crouched on his left forearm and hand。 〃Every design of Stardrive I've ever heard of has had a half…dozen high…voltage sites and shock capacitors associated with it。 If Pax touches one of those； it'll kill him。〃
〃He goes through power conduits all the time；〃 I reminded him。 〃How does he avoid insulation breaks and short circuits there？〃
〃He knows what to look for with our stuff；〃 Ixil said。 〃This is an unknown alien design； with an entirely different set of cues。 For that matter； even the lower…voltage lines may have lost their insulation over the years。 You and I are big enough to survive a minor shock like that。 Pax isn't。〃
〃I know；〃 I said。 〃And I wish there were another way。 But there isn't。 We have to see what's in there； and Pix and Pax are the only eyes we've got。〃
〃Except ours；〃 Ixil said。 〃Why don't I go instead？〃
〃No；〃 Tera said； a fraction of a second before I could get the word out myself。 〃Not a chance。〃
〃But I could see what's there；〃 he persisted。 〃There are cues I know how to read that Pax hasn't got the basic intelligence to pick up on。 If I go just a little way in； far enough to see past the initial tangle； I could brief him on whatever I find and then let him go in。 It would give him a better chance。〃
Tera shook her head。 〃I'm sorry； Ixil； but I can't let you do that。 Dad was absolutely adamant that no one go inside until we got all the power sources and cables mapped out； for that very reason。 It's Pix or Pax or no one at all。〃
Ixil lowered his eyes to the ferret； his mouth tight。 〃All right；〃 he said with a resigned sigh。 〃What exactly do you want him to do？〃
〃We need to find a path through to the center of the sphere；〃 I said。 〃Chort and Nicabar are a little fuzzy on the details of this exotic double…sphere design of theirs； but they both agree there should be a large resonance crystal somewhere in the center； probably with a control panel either wrapped around it or somewhere nearby。 If they're right； and if we can either scope out the controls…or； better yet； connect it through to a control system out here…we may be able to activate it。〃
〃If it's even still functional after all this time；〃 Ixil muttered； putting Pax up on his shoulder。
〃Well； something's drawing and using power in there；〃 I reminded him。 〃Though where it's getting it from I haven't the foggiest idea。 Warn him to watch where he puts his feet and nose； and to take his time。 We're not in any special hurry here。〃
Ixil nodded； and for a moment he just stood there silently； muning with the outriders。 Then； taking a deep breath； he picked Pax up off his shoulder and set him down beside the opening。 For a moment the ferret sniffed at the edge； his little nose wrinkling as if he didn't care for the smell of age in there。 Then； with what sounded almost like a reassuring squeak； he scrabbled over the edge and disappeared。
Ixil was kneeling at the edge in an instant； plucking the light from my hand and playing it inside。 〃Doesn't seem to be any gravity in there；〃 he said； leaning his face into the opening。 〃He's working his way along the wires the way he does in zero gee。〃
I looked at Tera。 〃I don't know；〃 she said。 〃Though if the purpose of the grav field out here is to make sure the center of the resonance cavity stays clear； there really wouldn't be any need for one in the smaller sphere。〃
Ixil grunted； and for another few minutes we stood or crouched there in silence。 Then； hunching his shoulders； Ixil straightened up again。 〃He's gone；〃 he said； handing the light back to me。 〃Disappeared behind something that looked like a multicable coupler。〃
〃He'll be fine；〃 Tera said quietly； laying a hand soothingly on his arm。 〃He does this sort of thing all the time； remember？〃
Ixil grunted； clearly not in the mood to be soothed。 〃I'd better get back to the engine room…there's still a lot of recalibration to be done； and Everett doesn't know how to do most of the calculations on his own。 You'll call me when he es back？〃
〃Yes；〃 I assured him。 〃Actually； Tera； you might want to go back there with him and open the other access hole； the one you said was behind the breaker panel。 If Pax gets disoriented； it would be handy for him to have a second way out。〃
〃Good idea；〃 she said。 〃e on； Ixil。〃
They climbed up the slight curve…it still made me vaguely dizzy to watch people walking around the hull in here…and disappeared through the open pressure door into the zero gee of the wraparound。 With a