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Juan tried not to blink as he watched the cameras on the op center’s on’s course using the joystick on the command chair armrest Murph had altered the LiDAR systeot too close to one of the canyon’s walls, like the backup sensor in a new car that was backing into a parking space between two concrete pillars The warnings sounded almost constantly

For the first time that he could recall, Juan had his coht around his waist It felt wrong to have the op center to hi that he was the only one in ier His eyes flicked back and forth from the port to the starboard caed rocks filled the camera’s view on either side, like serrated teeth ready to chew into his ship

When he was three-quarters of the way through, Juan felt the current suddenly pull the Oregon off course, and he heard a mournful screech as metal was torn from the ship’s hull He rapidly corrected his path There was no point in slowing do Through the canyon’s exit ahead, he could now see the bow of the Portland nosing into view

This was it He was committed Juan ratcheted the throttle to full power, and the Oregon blasted forward, her arht for the midsection of the Portland

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Contact directly left!” shouted the Portland’s radar operator

“On-screen,” Tate said

The port camera view appeared, and Tate’s blood ran cold when he saw the Oregon racing toward them

“No! No! That was supposed to be a solid wall of ice” On the hter on-screen at a fantastic rate

“Flank speed!” he screamed

“Flank speed, aye!” the helmsman answered

“Go! Go!” Tate shrieked, but the crewman’s reaction time was too slow There was no way to avoid the impact now

As he scrambled to latch his belt, Tate realized that he had done exactly what he warned others against doing He had underestimated Cabrillo