“Yes, I’m afraid so,” Suzanne said. “They are desperate.”
“It is hard to believe they would do such a thing after they have had an opportunity to experience our culture,” Ponu said. “All our other visitors have unerringly adapted to our peaceful ways.”
“Perhaps they would, too, given more of a chance,” Suzanne said. “But at this point they are dangerous to anyone who would thwart them.”
“I’m not sure I believe that,” another elder said. “It’s contrary to our experience, as Ponu mentioned.”
Suzanne felt frustrated to the point of anger. “I can prove the iniquity they are capable of,” she snapped. “They’ve left ample evidence in two of the cottages.”
“And what might that be?” Ala asked as serenely as if she were discussing gardening.
“They have already caused the deaths of two primary humans.”
Suzanne’s words clearly stunned the council. They sat dumbfounded. “Are you sure of this?” Ala asked. For the first time her voice reflected distress.
“I saw the bodies a few hours ago,” Suzanne said. “One was bludgeoned and the other drowned.”
“I’m afraid this tragic news puts the current situation on a different plane,” Ala said.
I should hope so, Suzanne thought to herself.
“I recommend we seal the Barsama vent immediately,” Ponu said.
A murmur of assent filled the chamber.
Ala raised her wrist communicator and spoke briefly then lowered her arm. “It will be done,” she said.
“How long will it take to connect the vent to the earth’s core?” Ponu asked.
“A few hours,” Ala said.
The doors were enormous, about two stories high and nine feet thick. They began to open inward on silent hinges. Arak was directing the activity with his wrist unit. He was in direct contact with Central Information. Donald was standing behind him with the pistol pressed into his back.
Perry, Richard, and Michael were off to the side, keeping Sufa, Ismael, and Mary under close guard. Michael was still in his Greek armor, refusing steadfastly to give it up. Harvey was in the passenger portion of the antigravity freighter, which was carrying the Oceanus as its payload. He was ready to direct the craft into the decon chamber behind the great doors.
“That looks familiar,” Donald said as he caught sight of the stainless steel interior. “It reminds me of the room where we had our unsolicited bath on our way into Interterra.”
A sudden rumble shook the ground, causing everyone to struggle with their balance. It lasted four or five seconds.
“What the hell was that?” Perry demanded.
Harvey poked his head out of the freighter. “We’d better hurry,” he called. “They must be opening a geothermal shaft.”
“What would that do?” Donald yelled back.
“Seal the exit vent,” Harvey shouted.
“Come on, Arak!” Donald growled. “Speed this process up.”
“I can’t do any more than I’m doing,” Arak said. “Besides, Harvey is right, there won’t be enough time. The port is going to be disabled.”
“We’re not giving up after coming this far,” Donald warned. “In fifteen minutes Sufa’s going to be shot if we’re not out of here.”
Another short vibration rumbled through the ground, signifying that the monstrous pressure doors were fully open.
“Now it’s up to you,” Arak said. He waved to Harvey to bring in the freighter. “When the inner door opens, power into the launch and retrieval chamber. When that floods and the launch doors are open you’re free to ascend the vent.”
“That’s not the way it is going to happen,” Donald said. “You’re going all the way, Arak. You and Sufa.”
“No!” Arak cried. “No, please! We can’t. I’ve done what you’ve asked, and we cannot be exposed to the atmosphere without adaptation. We’ll die.”
“I’m not asking,” Donald said. “I’m ordering.”
Arak started to protest. Donald responded by pistol-whipping him across the face. Arak screamed and slapped his hands to his face. Blood oozed out between his fingers. Donald pushed him into the stainless steel room.
The freighter responded to Harvey’s commands, effortlessly gliding into the decon chamber.
“Come on, you guys,” Donald called to Perry and Richard. “Bring Sufa but leave the others.”
As soon as everyone was inside, Donald pulled Arak away from Sufa, who was trying to comfort him. The man’s right eye was deeply purple and swollen.
“Get this outer door closed and the inner one open, Arak,” Donald ordered.
Arak mumbled into his wrist communicator and the big doors began to close. Another rumble, signaling a second earthquake, echoed through the room; it lasted slightly longer than the first.
“Come on, Arak,” Donald warned. “Speed this up!”
“I told you I can’t,” Arak cried.
“Richard,” Donald called. “Get over here with one of your knives and cut off one of Sufa’s fingers.”
“No, wait!” Arak sobbed. “I’ll do what I can.”
Arak spoke into his wrist unit and the swing of the great doors quickened.
“That’s much better,” Donald said. “Much better indeed.”
The whole room shook for a moment with the concussion of the doors sealing. Almost simultaneously, inner doors of equal size began to swing open. Beyond was a huge black cavern similar to the one in which the secondary humans had found themselves on their way into Interterra. It had the same briny odor, no doubt from having been filled with salt water long ago.
As soon as the inner door was fully open, Harvey directed the freighter to carry the submersible within. The others ran after it but were impeded by the mud.
“Damn,” Perry said. “I forgot about this part.”
“Get those inner doors closed!” Donald yelled to Arak as they caught up to the freighter. His voice echoed. He handed the gun to Perry. “We need lights. I’m going inside the submersible.”
“Okay,” Perry said. He slipped his index finger around the trigger. It gave him a strange feeling. He’d never held a handgun, much less shot one.
As Donald ascended the submersible’s rungs another earthquake hit. He had to hold on to keep from being flung off. In the distance a sputtering sound heralded a geyser of lava.
“Shit!” Richard exclaimed. “We’re in a goddamn volcano.”
As soon as the latest tremor stopped, Donald scampered the rest of the way up the ladder and disappeared inside the Oceanus. A moment later the exterior lights came on. It was none too soon; the inner doors were nearing their jambs. Once they were shut the only light sources would be the submersible and the fountain of lava in the distance. It was growing by the second.
Donald’s head popped out of the submersible. “Let’s go, everybody,” he said. “Power’s up and life support’s on. We’re ready to button up.”
Arak and Sufa were ordered to climb into the submersible followed by Harvey, Perry, and Michael. Michael finally had to take off the breastplate in order to get down the hatch. Richard was the last in. As he closed the hatch, he saw a surge of water begin to fill the cavern. He also heard popping noises as the water collided with lava to form steam.
When Richard climbed down the ladder into the submersible, Donald told him to take a seat: he didn’t have any idea how much buffeting they would experience as the cavern filled. A few minutes later the Oceanus was bouncing around like a cork. Everyone held on for dear life.
“What are we supposed to do at this point?” Donald yelled to Arak.
“Nothing,” Arak said. “The water will carry the ship up the vent.”
“So does this mean that we’ve made it?” Donald asked.
“I guess you made it,” Arak responded sullenly. He reached over and gripped Sufa’s hand.
Ala slowly lowered her arm. She’d had an ear to her wrist communicator. Although she’d been visibly upset at the word of Sart and Mura’s murders, her expression was again tranquil. In a calm voice she announced, “The Barsama vent was not sealed in time. The submersible has left the lock and is now in open ocean heading due west.”