Page 84 (1/2)

"I didn't mean to interrupt Please continue"

"The third system is the keystone of the operation," said Sandecker He held up a doll-like figure that resembled a mechanical polar bear with portholes in a bulbous head "An articulated, deepwater at systenesiulass, and a man inside it can work at tre the need for decompression Two of these suits will enable six men to work on the wreck around the clock"

"Looks heavy and cumbersome"

"In air, with an operator inside, it weighs eleven hundred pounds Under water, only about sixty It's surprisingly agile Youon the seafloor in a class with hiking on the Sahara"

The President took the figure from Sandecker's offered hand and s "It alsodivers obsolete"

"Not entirely," answered Sandecker

"A diver with three die operation The fourth and final systeestured at a model in the form of a cylindrical tank "A team of divers will live in this pressurized chaen This prevents the narcotic effects of inhaling nitrogen under pressure The cha stretches of ti into the bloodstrea the bends Also, they don't have to decompress until the job is finished"

The President fell silent By education and occupation he was an attorney, a precise and analytical man-and yet scientific data was beyond him He did not wish to appear stupid in front of the admiral He chose his words carefully

"Surely your people don't intend to literally claw a path through an acre of steel"

"No, there is a better method"

"Like explosives perhaps?"

"Too risky" Sandecker replied matter-of-factly "The steel in the wreck has been under attack by corrosive elements for seventy-five years It has becoe in the wrong place or one too strong, and the whole ship could collapse in on itself

No, we'll cut our way through"

"With acetylene cutting torches, then"

"With pyroxone"