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"Give us some more."
The Ram again angled upward. Sparrow circled left, came back to the right in a snake track, barely
moving.
"Operational depth," said Ramsey. "Outside pressure 2994 pounds."
"Snub towlines and blow number-one tank," said Sparrow.
Again Ramsey stopped the outside reels. His right hand went out to the red handle marked "high
pressure air." He set it over number one, flicked on the safety toggle, started bleeding air into the
number-one tank.
"Give it everything," said Sparrow.
Ramsey turned the valve two revolutions.
Sparrow put full power into the drive. The Ram's bow tipped up to almost ten degrees. By niches, they
climbed, twisting soggily.
"She's off," said Ramsey.
"How's the slug's compensator system?"
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Ramsey looked to the tow board. "Following the pressure curve."
"Blow the slug's bow and stern tanks," said Sparrow. "She's not at --"
"Blow them anyway. Water pressure will hold the air until we reach operational depth. We're going to
need all the help we can get and as soon as we can get it."
Ramsey's hands moved over the tow board carrying out his orders.
They inched upward. Ramsey stared at the red dials of the slug's pressure system. "Bow tank's beginning
to bubble."
They could feel it in the deck: a return to normal climb gradient, speed picking up.
"Bow tank just blew," said Ramsey. "There goes the stern." He wiped perspiration from his forehead.
"That was the thing Les should have considered," said Sparrow. "Now we know we can get off. As long
as we have external weight which we can drop for the initial buoyancy."
"How do you know that Les didn't --"
"I know my shipmates," said Sparrow. "Learn something from this, Johnny, and you'll make a good
submariner. Never head into anything with a sub unless you have already worked out a plan for coming
out the other side."
Ramsey chose his words carefully. "What's your plan for making the big come-out on the other side --
with the oil?"
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"Not just one plan," said Sparrow. "I have plans for every contingency I can think of. And for some
maybe I shouldn't have thought of."
"Like for instance?"
Sparrow turned and looked full at him. "Like for instance my crew going psychotic, one by one."
Ramsey's eyes widened. The words leaped out before he could stop them. "And what about yourself?"
Sparrow's eyes glittered. "That's one of the ones maybe I shouldn't have thought of," he said. He swung
back to the controls.
He's like a piece of machinery, thought Ramsey. Great God in heaven, what went into making a man like
that?
Bonnett entered carrying a hypodermic, its needle covered by a sterile pad. "Time for your shot,
Skipper."
"In my left arm?" asked Sparrow.
"Well --"
"Don't I get to keep any dignity?" asked Sparrow.
Ramsey grinned.
"I swear you guys take a perverse delight in this," growled Sparrow.
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"It's really too much for your arm," said Bonnett. He glanced up at the static gauge. "Six thousand feet!
What're we doing up here in the shallows?"
Sparrow chuckled. "Okay, take my mind off my troubles." He backed away from the board. "Take over
here, Johnny.
Ramsey stepped into control position. Behind him, he heard Sparrow grunt. "Easy, Les!"
"Easy as I could, Skipper. There. Have Joe check you on his watch. You seem to be coming along
okay."
"I should be. I've three nursemaids."
Sparrow moved up beside Ramsey. "Hold us on course sixty-four degrees, forty-five minutes."
Ramsey turned the helm, looked up at the sonoran chart. "That'll bring us around Nordkapp." He did
some mental figuring, glanced at the shaftlog counter. "About twenty-six and a half hours."
Sparrow looked startled.
"He's good with figures," said Bonnett.
"He's also too interested in where we're, going to be and when," said Sparrow.
"That Security pap is for the birds," said Ramsey. "I wish to remind you that we found a dead man
aboard this vessel, that we've been sabotaged right and left, that --" He broke off, staring at Ramsey.
It was Bonnett's turn to look startled.
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