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eaner。
He hesitated a moment； feeling a little foolish。 This errand can wait； he thought。 But then； with a deep breath； he found himself walking across the room and into a long hallway。 He stopped at the last door and rapped on the frame。
Captain Britton and the doctor were inside； quietly discussing a chart that lay open on the table between them。 Brambell sat back in his chair； casually closing the folder as he did so。 〃Ah； Dr。 McFarlane。〃 The dry voice held no surprise。 He stared at McFarlane； eyes unblinking； waiting。
This can wait； he thought again。 But it was too late； they were both looking at him expectantly。 〃Masangkay's effects；〃 he said aloud。 〃Those things with the body？ Now that you've pleted the tests； can they be released？〃
Brambell continued to look at him。 It was a stare not of human passion but of clinical interest。 〃There was nothing of value among them；〃 he answered。
McFarlane leaned against the doorframe and waited； refusing to betray anything to the watchful eyes。 At last； the doctor sighed。 〃Once they've been photographed； I see no reason to keep them。 What precisely are you interested in？〃
〃Just let me know when they're ready； will you？〃 McFarlane pushed himself away from the frame； nodded to Britton； and turned back toward the waiting room。 As he pulled open the outer door； he heard quick footsteps behind him。
〃Dr。 McFarlane。〃 It was Captain Britton。 〃I'll walk topside with you。〃
〃Didn't mean to break up the party；〃 McFarlane said； swinging out into the hall。
〃I have to get back up to the bridge anyway。 I'm expecting an update on that approaching storm。〃
They moved down the wide corridor； dark except for the regular stripes of sunlight that slanted inward from the round portholes。
〃I'm sorry about your friend Masangkay； Dr。 McFarlane；〃 she said with unexpected kindness。
McFarlane glanced at her。 〃Thanks。〃 Even in the dim corridor； her eyes were bright。 He wondered if she was going to probe his nostalgic desire for Nestor's effects； but she remained silent。 Once again； he was struck by an indefinable feeling of kinship。 〃Call me Sam；〃 he said。
〃Okay； Sam。〃
They stepped out of the stairwell onto the maindeck。
〃Take a turn around the deck with me；〃 Britton said。
Surprised； McFarlane followed her back through superstructure to the fantail。 Something in her stately bearing； in the sway of her walk； reminded him of his ex…wife； Malou。 A pale golden light lay over the ship's stern。 The water of the channel shone a rich； deep blue。
Britton walked past the landing pad and leaned against the rail； squinting into the sun。 〃Sam； I have a dilemma。 I frankly don't like what I'm hearing about that meteorite。 I fear it will endanger the ship。 A seaman always trusts her gut。 And I really don't like seeing that out there。〃 She motioned toward the low； slender line of the Chilean destroyer lying in the waters beyond the channel。 〃On the other hand； from what I've seen of Glinn； I have every reason to expect success。〃 She glanced at him。 〃You see the paradox？ I can't trust Eli Glinn and my own instincts both。 And if I need to act； I need to act now。 I'm not going to put anything in the hold of my ship that isn't safe。〃
In the pitiless sunlight； Britton looked older than her years。 She's thinking of aborting the mission； he thought in surprise。
〃I don't think Lloyd would be very happy if you balked now；〃 he said。
〃Lloyd isn't the master of the Rolvaag。 I'm speaking to you； as I did before； because you're the only one I can speak to。〃
McFarlane looked at her。
〃As captain； I can't confide in any of my officers or crew。 And I certainly can't speak to EES personnel about these concerns。 That leaves you； the meteorite expert。 I need to know if you think that meteorite will endanger my ship。 I need your view； not Mr。 Lloyd's。〃
McFarlane held her gaze a moment longer。 Then he turned back toward the sea。
〃I can't answer your question；〃 he said。 〃It's dangerous enough … we've learned that the hard way。 But will it specifically endanger the ship？ I don't know。 But I think maybe it's too late for us to stop； even if we wanted to。〃
〃But in the library； you spoke up。 You had concerns。 Just as I did。〃
〃I'm very concerned。 But it isn't that simple。 That meteorite is as deep a mystery as any in the universe。 What it represents is so important that I think we've got no choice but to continue。 If Magellan had soberly taken into account all the risks； he never would have begun his voyage around the world。 Columbus would never have discovered America。〃
Britton was silent； studying him intently。 〃You think this meteorite is a discovery on a par with Magellan or Columbus？〃
〃Yes；〃 he said finally。 〃I do。〃
〃In the library； Glinn asked you a question。 You didn't answer it。〃
〃I couldn't answer it。〃
〃Why？〃
He turned and looked into her steady green eyes。 〃Because I realized … despite Rochefort； despite everything … I want that meteorite。 More than I've ever wanted anything。〃
After a pause； Britton drew herself up。 〃Thank you； Sam；〃 she said。 Then； turning smartly； she headed for the bridge。
Isla Desolacion；
July 20； 2：05 P。M。
MCFARLANE AND Rachel stood at the edge of the staging area； in the cold afternoon sun。 The eastern sky was clear and bright； the landscape below painfully sharp in the crisp air。 But the sky to the west looked very different： a vast； dark cloak that stretched across the horizon； tumbling low； moving in their direction； blotting out the mountain peaks。 A gust of wind swirled old snow around their feet。 The storm was no longer just a blip on a screen： it was almost on top of them。
Garza came toward them。 〃Never thought I'd like the look of a storm as ugly as that one；〃 he said； smiling and pointing westward。
〃What's the plan now？〃 McFarlane asked。
〃Cut and cover； from here to the shore；〃 said Garza with a wink。
〃Cut and cover？〃
〃Instant tunnel。 It's the simplest engineered tunnel； a technique that's been used since Babylon。 We dig a channel with a hydraulic excavator； roof it over with steel plates； and throw dirt and snow on top to hide it。 As the meteorite is dragged toward the shore； we backfill the old tunnel and dig new tunnel ahead。〃
Rachel nodded toward the hydraulic excavator。 〃That baby makes Mike Mulligan's steam shovel look like a Tonka toy。〃
McFarlane thought back to all that had been acplished in the two days since the meteorite crushed Rochefort and Evans。 The tunnels had been cleared and reshored； and double the number of jacks positioned under the rock。 The meteorite had been raised without a hitch； a cradle built underneath it； and the dirt cleared away。 A gigantic steel flatbed cart had been brought up from the ship and positioned next to it。 Now it was time to drag the meteorite and its cradle onto the cart。 Garza had made it all look so easy。
The engineer grinned again。 He was garrulous； in high spirits。 〃Ready to see the heaviest object ever moved by mankind get moved？〃
〃Sure；〃 said McFarlane。
〃The first step is positioning it on the cart。 We'll have to uncover the meteorite for that。 Briefly。 That's why I like the look of that storm。 Don't want those damn Chileans get