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〃You're ready to open it now？〃 Ted asked。 〃Wonderful。 I've just been talking about this with Norman。 This is such a great moment； our first contact with alien life； we ought to prepare a little speech for when we open it up。〃
〃There'll be time to consider that；〃 Barnes said； with an odd glance at Ted。 〃I'll show you the habitat first。 This way。〃 He explained that the DH…8 habitat consisted of five large cylinders； designated A to E。 〃Cyl A is the airlock； where we are now。〃 He led them into an adjacent changing room。 Heavy cloth suits hung limply on the wall； alongside yellow sculpted helmets of the sort Norman had seen the divers wearing。 The helmets had a futuristic look。 Norman tapped one with his knuckles。 It was plastic； and surprisingly light。 He saw 〃JOHNSON〃 stenciled above one faceplate。
〃We going to wear these？〃 Norman asked。
〃That's correct；〃 Barnes said。
＇＇56＇＇ 〃Then we'll be going outside？〃 Norman said； feeling a twinge of alarm。
〃Eventually； yes。 Don't worry about it now。 Still cold？〃
They were； Barnes had them change into tight…fitting jumpsuits of clinging blue polyester。 Ted frowned。 〃Don't you think these look a little silly？〃
〃They may not be the height of fashion；〃 Barnes said； 〃but they prevent heat loss from helium。〃
〃The color is unflattering；〃 Ted said。
〃Screw the color；〃 Barnes said。 He handed them light…weight jackets。 Norman felt something heavy in one pocket； and pulled out a battery pack。
〃The jackets are wired and electrically heated；〃 Barnes said。 〃Like an electric blanket； which is what you'll use for sleeping。 Follow me。〃
They went on to Cyl B； which housed power and life…support systems。 At first glance； it looked like a large boiler room； all multicolored pipes and utilitarian fittings。 〃This is where we generate all of our heat； power； and air；〃 Barnes said。 He pointed out the features： 〃Closed…cycle IC generator； 240/110。 Hydrogen…and…oxygen…driven fuel cells。 LSS monitors。 Liquid processor； runs on silver…zinc batteries。 And that's Chief Petty Officer Fletcher。 Teeny Fletcher。〃 Norman saw a big…boned figure； working back among the pipes with a heavy wrench。 The figure turned； Alice Fletcher gave them a grin； waved a greasy hand。
〃She seems to know what she's doing；〃 Ted said； approvingly。
〃She does；〃 Barnes said。 〃But all the major support systems are redundant。 Fletcher is just our final redundancy。 Actually； you'll find the entire habitat is self…regulating。〃
He clipped heavy badges onto the jumpsuits。 〃Wear these at all times； even though they're just a precaution： the alarms trigger automatically if life…support conditions go below optimum。 But that won't happen。 There are sensors in each room of the habitat。 You'll get used to the fact that the environment continually adjusts to your presence。 Lights will go on and off； heat lamps will turn on and off； and air vents will hiss to keep track of things。 It's all automatic； don't sweat it。 ＇＇57＇＇ Every single major system is redundant。 We can lose power； we can lose air； we can lose water entirely； and we will be fine for a hundred and thirty hours。〃
One hundred and thirty hours didn't sound very long to Norman。 He did the calculation in his head： five days。 Five days didn't seem very long； either。
They went into the next cylinder； the lights clicking on as they entered。 Cylinder C contained living quarters： bunks； toilets； showers （〃plenty of hot water； you'll find〃）。 Barnes showed them around proudly； as if it were a hotel。
The living quarters were heavily insulated： carpeted deck； walls and ceilings all covered in soft padded foam； which made the interior appear like an overstuffed couch。 But； despite the bright colors and the evident care in decoration； Norman still found it cramped and dreary。 The portholes were tiny； and they revealed only the blackness of the ocean outside。 And wherever the padding ended； he saw heavy bolts and heavy steel plating； a reminder of where they really were。 He felt as if he were inside a large iron lung…and； he thought； that isn't so far wrong。
They ducked through narrow bulkheads into D Cyl： a small laboratory with benches and microscopes on the top level； a pact electronics unit on the level below。
〃This is Tina Chan；〃 Barnes said； introducing a very still woman。 They all shook hands。 Norman thought that Tina Chan was almost unnaturally calm； until he realized she was one of those people who almost never blinked their eyes。
〃Be nice to Tina；〃 Barnes was saying。 〃She's our only link to the outside…she runs the ops； and the sensor systems as well。 In fact； all the electronics。〃
Tina Chan was surrounded by the bulkiest monitors Norman had ever seen。 They looked like TV sets from the 1950s。 Barnes explained that certain equipment didn't do well in the helium atmosphere； including TV tubes。 In the early days of undersea habitats； the tubes had to be replaced daily。 Now they were elaborately coated and shielded； hence their bulk。
Next to Chan was another woman； Jane Edmunds； whom Barnes introduced as the unit archivist。
〃What's a unit archivist？〃 Ted asked her。
＇＇58＇＇ 〃Petty Officer First Class； Data Processing； sir；〃 she said formally。 Jane Edmunds wore spectacles and stood stiffly。 She reminded Norman of a librarian。
〃Data Processing 。。。〃 Ted said。
〃My mission is to keep all the digital recordings； visual materials； and videotapes； sir。 Every aspect of this historic moment is being recorded； and I keep everything neatly filed。〃 Norman thought： She is a librarian。
〃Oh； excellent；〃 Ted said。 〃I'm glad to hear it。 Film or tape？〃
〃Tape； sir。〃
〃I know my way around a video camera；〃 Ted said； with a smile。 〃What're you putting it down on； half…inch or threequarter？〃
〃Sir； we use a datascan image equivalent of two thousand pixels per side…biased frame； each pixel carrying a twelvetone gray scale。〃
〃Oh；〃 Ted said。
〃It's a bit better than mercial systems you may be familiar with； sir。〃
〃I see；〃 Ted said。 But he recovered smoothly； and chatted with Edmunds for a while about technical matters。
〃Ted seems awfully interested in how we're going to record this；〃 Barnes said； looking uneasy。
〃Yes； he seems to be。〃 Norman wondered why that troubled Barnes。 Was Barnes worried about the visual record？ Or did he think Ted would try to hog the show？ Would Ted try to hog the show？ Did Barnes have any worries about having this appear to be a civilian operation？
〃No； the exterior lights are a hundred…fifty…watt quartz halogen；〃 Edmunds was saying。 〃We're recording at equivalent of half a million ASA； so that's ample。 The real problem is backscatter。 We're constantly fighting it。〃
Norman said； 〃I notice your support team is all women。〃
〃Yes；〃 Barnes said。 〃All the deep…diving studies show that women are superior for submerged operations。 They're physically smaller and consume less nutrients and air； they have better social skills and tolerate close quarters better； and they are physiologically tougher and have better endurance。
＇＇59＇＇ The fact is； the Navy long ago recognized that all their submariners should be female。〃 He laughed。 〃But just try to implement that one。〃 He glanced at his watch。 〃We'd better move on。 Ted？〃
They went on。 The final cylinder； E Cyl； was more spacious than the others。 There were magazines； a television； and a large lounge； and on the deck below was an efficient mess and a kitchen。 Seaman Rose Levy； the cook； was a redfaced woman with a Southern accent； standing beneath giant suction fans。 She asked Norman whether he had any favorite desserts。
〃Desserts？〃
〃Yes sir； Dr。 Johnson。 I like to make everybody's favorite dessert； if I can。 What about you； you have a favorite； Dr。 Fielding？〃
〃Key lime pie；〃 Ted said。 〃I love key lime pie。〃
〃Can do； sir；〃 Levy said； with a big smile。 She turned back to Norman。 〃I haven't heard yours yet； Dr。 Johnson。〃
〃Strawberry shortcake。〃
〃Easy。 Got some nice New Zealand strawberries ing down on the last sub shuttle。 Maybe you'd like that shortcake tonight？〃
〃Why not； Rose；〃 Barnes said heartily。
Norman looked out the black porthole window。 From the portholes of D Cyl； he could see the rectangular illuminated grid that extended across the bottom； following the half…mile…long buried spacecraft。 Divers； illuminated like fireflies； moved over the glowing grid surface。
Norman thought： I am a thousand feet beneath the surface of the ocean； and we are talking about whether we should have strawberry shortcake for dessert。 But the more he thought about it； the more it made sense。 The best way to make somebody fortable in a new environment was to give him familiar food。
〃Strawberries make me break out；〃 Ted said。
〃I'll make your shortcake with blueberries；〃 Levy said； not missing a beat。
〃And whipped cream？〃 Ted said。
〃Well 。。。〃
＇＇60＇＇ 〃You can't have everything；〃 Barnes said。 〃And one of the things you can't have at thirty atmospheres of mixed gas is whipped cream。 Won't whip。 Let's move on。〃
Beth and Harry were waiting in the small； padded conference room； directly above the mess。 They both wore jumpsuits and heated jackets。 Harry was shaking his head as they arrived。 〃Like our padded cell？〃 He poked the insulated walls。 〃It's like living in a vagina。〃
Beth said； 〃Don't you like going back to the womb； Harry？〃
〃No；〃 Harry said。 〃I've been there。 Once was enough。〃
〃These jumpsuits are pretty bad；〃 Ted said； plucking at the clinging polyester。
〃Shows your belly nicely；〃 Harry said。
〃Let's settle down；〃 Barnes said。
〃A few sequins； you could be Elvis Presley；〃 Harry said。
〃Elvis Presley's dead。〃
〃Now's your chance；〃 Harry said。
Norman looked around。 〃Where's Levine？〃
〃Levine didn't make it；〃 Barnes said briskly。 〃He got claustrophobic in the sub ing down； and had to be taken back。 One of those things。〃
〃Then we have no marine biologist？〃
〃We'll manage without him。〃
〃I hate this damn jumpsuit；〃 Ted said。 〃I really hate it。〃
〃Beth looks good in hers。〃
〃Yes； Beth works out。〃
〃And it's damp in here； too；〃 Ted said。 〃Is it always so damp？〃
Norman had noticed that humidity was a problem； everything they touched felt slightly wet and clammy and cold。 Barnes warned them of the danger of infections and minor colds； and handed out bottles of skin lotion and ear drops。
〃I thought you said the technology was all worked out；〃 Harry said。
〃It is；〃 Barnes said。 〃Believe me； this is plush pared to the habitats ten years ago。〃
＇＇61＇＇ 〃Ten years ago；〃 Harry said； 〃they stopped making habitats because people kept dying in them。〃
Barnes frowned。 〃There was one accident。〃
〃There were two accidents；〃 Harry said。 〃A total of four people。〃
〃Special circumstances；〃 Barnes said。 〃Not involving Navy technology or personnel。〃
〃Great；〃 Harry said。 〃How long did you say we going to be down here？〃
〃Maximum； seventy…two hours；〃 Barnes said。
〃You sure about that？〃
〃It's Navy regs；〃 Barnes said。
〃Why？〃 Norman asked； puzzled。
Barnes shook his head。 〃Never；〃 he said； 〃never ask a reason for Navy regulations。〃
The inter clicked； and Tina Chan said； 〃Captain Barnes； we have a signal from the divers。 They are mounting the airlock now。 Another few minutes to open。〃
The feeling in the room changed immediately； the excitement was palpable。 Ted rubbed his hands together。 〃You realize； of course； that even without opening that spacecraft； we have already made a major discovery of profound importance。〃
〃What's that？〃 Norman said。
〃We've shot the unique event hypothesis to hell；〃 Ted said； glancing at Beth。
〃The unique event hypothesis？〃 Barnes said。
〃He's referring；〃 Beth said； 〃to the fact that physicists and chemists tend to believe in intelligent extraterrestrial life； while biologists tend not to。 Many biologists feel the development of intelligent life on Earth required so many peculiar steps that it represents a unique event in the universe； that may never have occurred elsewhere。〃
〃Wouldn't intelligence arise again and again？〃 Barnes said。
〃Well； it barely arose on the Earth；〃 Beth said。 〃The Earth is 4。5 billion years old； and single…celled life appeared 3。9 billion years ago…almost immediately； geologically speaking。 But life remained single…celled for the next three billion ＇＇62＇＇ years。 Then in the Cambrian period； around six hundred million years ago； there was an explosion of sophisticated life forms。 Within a hundred million years； the ocean was full of fish。 Then the land became populated： Then the air。 But nobody knows why the explosion occurred in the first place。 And since it didn't occur for three billion years； there's the possibility that on some other planet； it might never occur at all。
〃And even after the Cambrian； the chain of events leading to man appears to be so special； so chancy； that biologists worry it might never have happened。 Just consider the fact that if the dinosaurs hadn't been wiped out sixty…five million years ago…by a et or whatever…then reptiles might still be the dominant form on Earth； and mammals would never have had a chance to take over。 No mammals； no primates。 No primates； no apes。 No apes； no man 。。。 There are a lot of random factors in evolution； a lot of luck。 That's why biologists think intelligent life might be a unique event in the universe； only occurring here。〃
〃Except now；〃 Ted said； 〃we know it's not a unique event。 Because there is a damn big spacecraft out there。〃
〃Personally；〃 Beth said； 〃I cou