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"Got anything stronger?" asked Giordino

"I think I can accommodate you I picked up a bottle of rum for my brother-in-lae were last in port"

Pitt looked at hiet married?"

Barnu toward the ladder to the bridge

Before he took a well-deserved rest, Pitt stepped into the co Dirk and Summer After repeated attempts, Jar looked up and shook his head "Sorry, Mr Pitt They don't respond"

"I don't like the sound of that," Pitt said pensively "Could be any number of minor probleed their antennas"

"Let's hope that's all it is"

Pitt walked down a passageway to Barnu a glass of Gosling's Rum

"I can't raise Pisces," said Pitt

Barnulances Suddenly the happy mood faded Then Giordino reassured Pitt

"The habitat is built like a tank Joe Zavala and I designed her We built in every possible safety device No way her hull could be punctured Not at fifty feet below the storm's surface Not e built her to reach a depth of five hundred"

"You're forgetting the hundred-foot waves," said Pitt "Pisces h, but then she could have been smashed off her mounts by a solid wall of water into exposed rock a could easily have shattered her view port"

"Possible," Giordino admitted, "but not likely I specified a reinforced plastic for the view port that could repel a mortar shell"

Barnu off and sat down "We just heard fros They left port and should arrive on station in another hour and a half"

Pitt stepped to the chart table and picked up a pair of dividers He measured the distance between their current position and the X marked on the chart that depicted Pisces "An hour and a half for the tugs," he said thoughtfully "Another half hour to release thecables and be on our way Then two hours, htly more than four hours to reach the site I pray to God the kids are all right"