Harry pushed his glasses up on his nose and said； 〃Ted； for once in your life； you just might be right。〃
They both grabbed for paper； began scribbling。
〃It couldn't be a Schwartzschild hole…〃
〃…No； no。 Have to be rotating…〃
〃…Angular momentum would assure that…〃
〃…And you couldn't approach the singularity…〃
〃…No； the tidal forces…〃
〃…rip you apart…〃
〃But if you just dipped below the event horizon 。。。〃
〃Is it possible？ Did they have the nerve？〃
The two fell silent； making calculations； muttering to themselves。
＇＇89＇＇ 〃What is it about a black hole？〃 Norman said。 But they weren't listening to him any more。
The inter clicked。 Barnes said； 〃Attention。 This is the Captain speaking。 I want all hands in the conference room on the double。〃
〃We're in the conference room；〃 Norman said。
〃On the double。 Now。〃
〃We're already there； Hal。〃
〃That is all；〃 Barnes said； and the inter clicked off。
THE CONFERENCE
〃I've just been on the scrambler with Admiral Spaulding of CincPac Honolulu；〃 Barnes said。 〃Apparently Spaulding just learned that I had taken civilians to saturated depths for a project about which he knew nothing。 He wasn't happy about it。〃
There was a silence。 They all looked at him。
〃He demanded that all the civilians be sent up topside。〃 Good； Norman thought。 He had been disappointed by what they had found so far。 The prospect of spending another seventy…two hours in this humid； claustrophobic environment while they investigated an empty space vehicle did not appeal to him。
〃I thought；〃 Ted said； 〃we had direct authorization from the President。〃
〃We do；〃 Barnes said； 〃but there is the question of the storm。〃
〃What storm？〃 Harry said。
〃They're reporting fifteen…knot winds and southeast swells on the surface。 It looks like a Pacific cyclone is headed our way and will reach us within twenty…four hours。〃
＇＇90＇＇ 〃There's going to be a storm here？〃 Beth said。
〃Not here；〃 Barnes said。 〃Down here we won't feel anything； but it'll be rough on the surface。 All our surface support ships may have to pull out and steam for protected harbors in Tonga。〃
〃So we'd be left alone down here？〃
〃For twenty…four to forty…eight hours； yes。 That wouldn't be a problem…we're entirely self…sufficient…but Spaulding is nervous about pulling surface support when there are civilians below。 I want to know your feelings。 Do you want to stay down and continue exploring the ship； or leave？〃
〃Stay。 Definitely；〃 Ted said。 Barnes said； 〃Beth？〃
〃I came here to investigate unknown life；〃 Beth said； 〃but there isn't any life on that ship。 It just isn't what I thought it would be…hoped it would be。 I say we go。〃
Barnes said； 〃Norman？〃
〃Let's admit the truth；〃 Norman said。 〃We're not really trained for a saturated environment and we're not really fortable down here。 At least I'm not。 And we're not the best people to evaluate this spacecraft。 At this point； the Navy'd be much better off with a team of NASA engineers。 I say； go。〃
〃Harry？〃
〃Let's get the hell out；〃 Harry said。
〃Any particular reason？〃 Barnes said。
〃Call it intuition。〃
Ted said； 〃I can't believe you would say that； Harry； just when we have this fabulous new idea about the ship…
〃That's beside the point now；〃 Barnes said crisply。 〃I'll make the arrangements with the surface to pull us out in another twelve hours。〃
Ted said； 〃God damn it！〃
But Norman was looking at Barnes。 Barnes wasn't upset。 He wants to leave； he thought。 He's looking for an excuse to leave； and we're providing his excuse。
〃Meantime；〃 Barnes said； 〃we can make one and perhaps even two more trips to the ship。 We'll rest for the next two hours； and then go back。 That's all for now。〃
＇＇91＇＇ 〃I have more I'd like to say…〃
〃That's all； Ted。 The vote's been taken。 Get some rest。〃 As they headed toward their bunks； Barnes said； 〃Beth； I'd like a word with you； please。〃
〃What about？〃
〃Beth； when we go back to the ship； I don't want you pushing every button you e across。〃
〃All I did was turn on the lights； Hal。〃
〃Yes； but you didn't know that when you…〃
〃…Sure I did。 The button said 'ROOM LIGHTS。' It was pretty clear。〃
As they moved off； they heard Beth say； 〃I'm not one of your little Navy people you can order around； Hal…〃 and then Barnes said something else； and the voices faded。
〃Damn it；〃 Ted said。 He kicked one of the iron walls； it rang hollowly。 They passed into C Cylinder； on their way to the bunks。 〃I can't believe you people want to leave；〃 Ted said。 〃This is such an exciting discovery。 How can you walk away from it？ Especially you； Harry。 The mathematical possibilities alone！ The theory of the black hole…〃
〃…I'll tell you why；〃 Harry said。 〃I want to go because Barnes wants to go。〃
〃Barnes doesn't want to go；〃 Ted said。 〃Why； he put it to a vote…〃
〃…I know what he did。 But Barnes doesn't want to look as if he's made the wrong decision in the eyes of his superiors； or as if he's backing down。 So he let us decide。 But I'm telling you； Barnes wants to go。〃
Norman was surprised： the cliché image of mathematicians was that they had their heads in the clouds； were absent…minded； inattentive。 But Harry was astute； he didn't miss a thing。
〃Why would Barnes want to go？〃 Ted said。
〃I think it's clear；〃 Harry said。 〃Because of the storm on the surface。〃
〃The storm isn't here yet；〃 Ted said。
〃No；〃 Harry said。 〃And when it es； we don't know how long it will last。〃
〃Barnes said twenty…four to forty…eight hours…〃
＇＇92＇＇ 〃Neither Barnes nor anyone else can predict how long the storm will last；〃 Harry said。 〃What if it lasts five days？〃
〃We can hold out that long。 We have air and supplies for five days。 What're you so worried about？〃
〃I'm not worried；〃 Harry said。 〃But I think Barnes is worried。〃
〃Nothing will go wrong； for Christ's sake；〃 Ted said。 〃I think we should stay。〃 And then there was a squishing sound。 They looked down at the all…weather carpeting at their feet。 The carpet was dark； soaked。
〃What's that？〃
〃I'd say it was water；〃 Harry said。
〃Salt water？〃 Ted said； bending over； touching the damp spot。 He licked his finger。 〃Doesn't taste salty。〃
From above them； a voice said； 〃That's because it's urine。〃 Looking up； they saw Teeny Fletcher standing on a platform among a network of pipes near the curved top of the cylinder。 〃Everything's under control； gentlemen。 Just a small leak in the liquid waste disposal pipe that goes to the H2O recycler。〃
〃Liquid waste？〃 Ted was shaking his head。
〃Just a small leak；〃 Fletcher said。 〃No problem； sir。〃 She sprayed one of the pipes with white foam from a spray canister。 The foam sputtered and hardened on the pipe。 〃We just urethane the suckers when we get them。 Makes a perfect seal。
〃How often do you get these leaks？〃 Harry said。
〃Liquid waste？〃 Ted said again。
〃Hard to say； Dr。 Adams。 But don't worry。 Really。〃
〃I feel sick；〃 Ted said。
Harry slapped him on the back。 〃e on； it won't kill you。 Let's get some sleep。〃
〃I think I'm going to throw up。〃
They went into the sleeping chamber。 Ted immediately ran off to the showers； they heard him coughing and gagging。
〃Poor Ted；〃 Harry said； shaking his head。
＇＇93＇＇ Norman said； 〃What's all this business about a black hole； anyway？〃
〃A black hole；〃 Harry said； 〃is a dead； pressed star。