"This what the divers cut?"
"That's right."
Norman saw a boxy, corrugated-steel structure surrounded by pressure tanks.
"Airlock ahead. We're almost there," Barnes said. "Everybody okay?"
"So far," Harry said.
They entered the airlock, and Barnes closed the door. Air hissed loudly. Norman watched the water recede, down past his faceplate, then his waist, his knees; then to the floor. The hissing stopped, and they passed through another door, sealing it behind them.
Norman turned to the metal hull of the spaceship. The robot had been moved aside. Norman felt very much as if he were standing alongside a big jetliner - a curved metal surface, and a flush door. The metal was a dull gray, which gave it an ominous quality. Despite himself, Norman was nervous. Listening to the way the others were breathing, he sensed they were nervous, too.
"Okay?" Barnes said. "Everybody here?"
Edmunds said, "Wait for video, please, sir."
"Okay. Waiting."
They all lined up beside the door, but they still had their helmets on. It wasn't going to be much of a picture, Norman thought.
Edmunds: "Tape is running."
Ted: "I'd like to say a few words."
Harry: "Jesus, Ted. Can't you ever let up?"
Ted: "I think it's important."
Harry: "Go ahead, make your speech."
Ted: "Hello. This is Ted Fielding, here at the door of the unknown spacecraft which has been discovered - "
Barnes: "Wait a minute, Ted. 'Here at the door of the unknown spacecraft' sounds like 'here at the tomb of the unknown soldier.' "
Ted: "You don't like it?"
Barnes: "Well, I think it has the wrong associations."
Ted: "I thought you would like it."
Beth: "Can we just get on with it, please?"
Ted: "Never mind."
Harry: "What, are you going to pout now?"
Ted: "Never mind. We'll do without any commentary on this historic moment."
Harry: "Okay, fine. Let's get it open."
Ted: "I think everybody knows how I feel. I feel that we should have some brief remarks for posterity."
Harry: "Well, make your goddamn remarks!"
Ted: "Listen, you son of a bitch, I've had about enough of your superior, know-it-all attitude - "
Barnes: "Stop tape, please."
Edmunds: "Tape is stopped, sir."
Barnes: "Let's everyone settle down."
Harry: "I consider all this ceremony utterly irrelevant."
Ted: "Well, it's not irrelevant; it's appropriate."
Barnes: "All right, I'll do it. Roll the tape."
Edmunds: "Tape is rolling."
Barnes: "This is Captain Barnes. We are now about to open the hatch cover. Present with me on this historic occasion are Ted Fielding, Norman Johnson, Beth Halpern, and Harry Adams."
Harry: "Why am I last?"
Barnes: "I did it left to right, Harry."
Harry: "Isn't it funny the only black man is named last?"
Barnes: "Harry, it's left to right. The way we're standing here."
Harry: "And after the only woman. I'm a full professor, Beth is only an assistant professor."
Beth: "Harry - "
Ted: "You know, Hal, perhaps we should be identified by our full titles and institutional affiliations - "
Harry: " - What's wrong with alphabetical order - "
Barnes: " - That's it! Forget it! No tape!"
Edmunds: "Tape is off, sir."
Barnes: "Jesus Christ."
He turned away from the group, shaking his helmeted head. He flipped up the metal plate, exposed the two buttons, and pushed one. A yellow light blinked "READY."
"Everybody stay on internal air," Barnes said.
They all continued to breathe from their tanks, in case the interior gases in the spacecraft were toxic.
"Everybody ready?"
"Ready."
Barnes pushed the button marked "OPEN."
A sign flashed: ADJUSTING ATMOSPHERE. Then, with a rumble, the door slid open sideways, just like an airplane door. For a moment Norman could see nothing but blackness beyond. They moved forward cautiously, shone their lights through the open door, saw girders, a complex of metal tubes.
"Check the air, Beth."
Beth pulled the plunger on a small gas monitor in her hand. The readout screen glowed.
"Helium, oxygen, trace CO2 and water vapor. The right proportions. It's pressurized atmosphere."
"The ship adjusted its own atmosphere?"
"Looks like it."
"Okay. One at a time."
Barnes removed his helmet first, breathed the air. "It seems okay. Metallic, a slight tingle, but okay." He took a few deep breaths, then nodded. The others removed their helmets, set them on the deck.
"That's better."
"Shall we go?"
"Why not?"
There was a brief hesitation, and then Beth stepped through quickly: "Ladies first."
The others followed her. Norman glanced back, saw all their yellow helmets lying on the floor. Edmunds, holding the video camera to her eye, said, "Go ahead, Dr. Johnson." Norman turned, and stepped into the spacecraft.
INTERIOR
They stood on a catwalk five feet wide, suspended high in the air. Norman shone his flashlight down: the beam glowed through forty feet of darkness before it splashed on the lower hull. Surrounding them, dimly visible in the darkness, was a dense network of struts and girders.
Beth said, "It's like being in an oil refinery." She shone her light on one steel beam. Stenciled was "AVR-09." All the stenciling was in English.