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A fewscreens, mounted horizontally On the opposite side of the room several technicians studied dials and noted instrus on clipboards

Against another wall a bank of co the data transmissions

A cheerful fathis face grinned with a great flash of teeth as Pitt introduced him to Heidi

"Doug Hoker,Heidi's naval rank "Doug plays mother to Baby"

Hoker half rose out of his chair in front of a large console and shook her hand "Always glad to have a beautiful audience"

She s I didn't want to miss"

Hoker turned back to his console and ihty feet," he droned, his right hand on an aircraft control grip "Water terees"

"Circle Baby in from the stern," said Pitt

"Acknowledged"

At 165 feet the river bottom appeared on the color video screens, a drab, washed-out brown, devoid of life except for an occasional crab and scattered bits of weed Visibility under the RSV's high-intensity lights was little more than ten feet

Gradually a dark shape began to grow froe pintles could be clearly seen

"Nice sense of direction," Pitt said to Hoker "You laid it dead on the rudder"

"So up," Gunn announced "The propeller, by the looks of it"

The four great bronze blades that once had driven the 14,000ton ship fros moved at a funereal pace past the camera eyes of the RSV

"About twenty feet froh at least thirty tons"