〃Shall I try the probe？〃
〃Try the probe。〃
The claw hand moved back； and a thin needle probe extended out toward the button。 The probe slid forward； adjusted position delicately； touched the button。 It pushed…and slipped off。
〃Trying again； sir。〃
The probe again pressed the button； and again slid off。
〃Sir； the surface is too slippery。〃
〃Keep trying。〃
〃You know；〃 Ted said thoughtfully； 〃this is still a remarkable situation。 In one sense； it's even more remarkable than contact with extraterrestrials。 I was already quite certain that extraterrestrial life exists in the universe。 But time travel！ Frankly； as an astrophysicist I had my doubts。 From everything we know； it's impossible； contradicted by the laws of physics。 And yet now we have proof that time travel is possible…and that our own species will do it in the future！〃
Ted was smiling； wide…eyed； and happy again。 You had to ＇＇68＇＇ admire him； Norman thought…he was so wonderfully irrepressible。
〃And here we are；〃 Ted said； 〃on the threshold of our first contact with our species from the future！ Think of it！ We are going to meet ourselves from some future time！〃
The probe pressed again； and again； without success。
〃Sir； we cannot impact the button。〃
〃I see that；〃 Barnes said； standing up。 〃Okay； shut it down and get it out of there。 Ted； looks like you're going to get your wish after all。 We'll have to go in and open it up manually。 Let's suit up。〃
INTO THE SHIP
In the changing room in cylinder A； Norman stepped into his suit。 Tina and Edmunds helped fit the helmet over his head； and snap…locked the ring at the neck。 He felt the heavy weight of the rebreather tanks on his back； the straps pressed into his shoulders。 He tasted metallic air。 There was a crackle as his helmet inter came on。
The first words he heard were 〃What about 'At the threshold of a great opportunity for the human species'？〃 Norman laughed； grateful for the break in the tension。
〃You find it funny？〃 Ted asked； offended。
Norman looked across the room at the suited man with 〃FIELDING〃 stenciled on his yellow helmet。
〃No；〃 Norman said。 〃I'm just nervous。〃
〃Me； too；〃 Beth said。
〃Nothing to it；〃 Barnes said。
〃Trust me。〃
〃What are the three biggest lies in DH…8？〃 Harry said； and they laughed again。
They crowded together into the tiny airlock； bumping helmeted heads； and the bulkhead hatch to the left was sealed； ＇＇69＇＇ the wheel spinning。 Barnes said； 〃Okay； folks； just breathe easy。〃 He opened the lower hatch； exposing black water。 The water did not rise into the partment。 〃The habitat's on positive pressure；〃 Barnes said。 〃The level won't e up。 Now watch me； and do this the way I do。 You don't want to tear your suit。〃 Moving awkwardly with the weight of the tanks； he crouched down by the hatch； gripped the side handholds； and let go； disappearing with a soft splash。
One by one； they dropped down to the floor of the ocean。 Norman gasped as near…freezing water enveloped his suit； immediately he heard the hum of a tiny fan as the electrical heaters in his suit activated。 His feet touched soft muddy ground。 He looked around in the darkness。 He was standing beneath the habitat。 Directly ahead； a hundred yards away； was the glowing rectangular grid。 Barnes was already striding forward； leaning into the current； moving slowly like a man on the moon。
〃Isn't this fantastic？〃
〃Calm down； Ted；〃 Harry said。
Beth said； 〃Actually； it's odd how little life there is down here。 Have you noticed？ Not a sea fan； not a slug； not a sponge； not a solitary fish。 Nothing but empty brown sea floor。 This must be one of those dead spots in the Pacific。〃
A bright light came on behind him； Norman's own shadow was cast forward on the bottom。 He looked back and saw Edmunds holding a camera and light in a bulky waterproof housing。
〃We recording all this？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Try not to fall down； Norman；〃 Beth laughed。
〃I'm trying。〃
They were closer now to the grid。 Norman felt better seeing the other divers working there。 To the right was the high fin； extending out of the coral； an enormous； smooth dark surface dwarfing them as it rose toward the surface。
Barnes led them past the fin and down into a tunnel cut in the coral。 The tunnel was sixty feet long； narrow； strung with lights。 They walked single file。 It felt like going down into a mine； Norman thought。
＇＇70＇＇ 〃This what the divers cut？〃
〃That's right。〃
Norman saw a boxy； corrugated…steel structure surrounded by pressure tanks。
〃Airlock ahead。 We're almost there；〃 Barnes said。 〃Everybody okay？〃
〃So far；〃 Harry said。
They entered the airlock； and Barnes closed the door。 Air hissed loudly。 Norman watched the water recede； down past his faceplate； then his waist； his knees； then to the floor。 The hissing stopped； and they passed through another door； sealing it behind them。
Norman turned to the metal hull of the spaceship。 The robot had been moved aside。 Norman felt very much as if he were standing alongside a big jetliner…a curved metal surface； and a flush door。 The metal was a dull gray； which gave it an ominous quality。 Despite himself； Norman was nervous。 Listening to the way the others were breathing； he sensed they were nervous； too。
〃Okay？〃 Barnes said。 〃Everybody here？〃
Edmunds said； 〃Wait for video； please； sir。〃
〃Okay。 Waiting。〃
They all lined up beside the door； but they still had their helmets on。 It wasn't going to be much of a picture； Norman thought。
Edmunds： 〃Tape is running。〃
Ted： 〃I'd like to say a few words。〃
Harry： 〃Jesus； Ted。 Can't you ever let up？〃
Ted： 〃I think it's important。〃
Harry： 〃Go ahead； make your speech。〃
Ted： 〃Hello。 This is Ted Fielding； here at the door of the unknown spacecraft which has been discovered…〃
Barnes： 〃Wait a minute； Ted。 'Here at the door of the unknown spacecraft' sounds like 'here at the tomb of the unknown soldier。' 〃
Ted： 〃You don't like it？〃
Barnes： 〃Well； I think it has the wrong associations。〃
Ted： 〃I thought you would like it。〃
Beth： 〃Can we just get on with it； please？〃
＇＇71＇＇ Ted： 〃Never mind。〃
Harry： 〃What； are you going to pout now？〃
Ted： 〃Never mind。 We'll do without any mentary on this historic moment。〃
Harry： 〃Okay； fine。 Let's get it open。〃
Ted： 〃I think everybody knows how I feel。 I feel that we should have some brief remarks for posterity。〃
Harry： 〃Well； make your goddamn remarks！〃
Ted： 〃Listen； you son of a bitch； I've had about enough of your superior； know…it…all attitude…〃
Barnes： 〃Stop tape； please。〃
Edmunds： 〃Tape is stopped； sir。〃
Barnes： 〃Let's everyone settle down。〃
Harry： 〃I consider all this ceremony utterly irrelevant。〃
Ted： 〃Well； it's not irrelevant； it's appropriate。〃
Barnes： 〃All right； I'll do it。 Roll the tape。〃
Edmunds： 〃Tape is rolling。〃
Barnes： 〃This is Captain Barnes。 We are now about to open the hatch cover。 Present with me on this historic occasion are Ted Fielding； Norman Johnson； Beth Halpern； and Harry Adams。〃
Harry： 〃Why am I last？〃
Barnes： 〃I did it left to right； Harry。〃
Harry： 〃Isn't it funny the only black man is named last？〃
Barnes： 〃Harry； it's left to right。 The way we're standing here。〃
Harry： 〃And after the only woman。 I'm a full professor； Beth is only an assistant professor。〃
Beth： 〃Harry…〃
Ted： 〃You know； Ha