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〃Stay a while；〃 said Glinn softly； smiling。 〃Stay and watch us bring the heaviest object ever moved by mankind to your ship。〃
She looked from the rock toward him； then back to the rock； hesitating。
A radio on her belt chirped。 She immediately freed herself and stepped away。 〃This is Captain Britton；〃 she said。
Watching the change in her face； Glinn knew precisely what she must be hearing。
She replaced the radio。 〃The destroyer。 It's returned。〃
Glinn nodded。 The smile had not left his face。 〃No surprise；〃 he said。 〃The Almirante Ramirez has lost one of her own。 Now she's e to get him back。〃
Rolvaag；
July 24； 3：45 P。M。
NIGHT wAS falling over Isla Desolacion。 Coffee cup in hand； McFarlane watched the twilight gather from the solitude of the fly deck。 It was a perfect evening： clear； cold； windless。 In the distance； there were some remaining streaks of clouds： mare's tails of pink and peach。 The island lay etched in light； unnaturally clear and crisp。 Beyond； the glossy waters of Franklin Channel reflected the last rays of the setting sun。 Farther still lay Vallenar's destroyer； gray； malevolent； the name Almirante Ramirez barely legible on its rust…streaked sides。 That afternoon it had moved in closer； nosing into place at the entrance to Franklin Channel … their only route of exit。 Now it looked as though it planned to stay。
McFarlane took a sip of coffee； then impulsively poured the rest over the side。 Caffeine was the last thing he needed right now。 There was already a tremendous tension in his gut。 He wondered just how Glinn was planning to deal with the destroyer； on top of everything else。 But Glinn had seemed calm that day； exceptionally calm。 He wondered if the man was having a nervous breakdown。
The meteorite had been moved … painfully； centimeter by centimeter … through the icefield and down the sunken roadway to the edge of Isla Desolacion。 It had finally reached a bluff overlooking Franklin Channel。 To hide it； another of Glinn's corrugated metal shacks had gone up。 McFarlane examined the shack from the deck。 As usual； it was a masterpiece of deception： a rusty contraption of secondhand metal that listed dangerously。 Bald tires had been piled in front。 He wondered how they planned to lower it into the hold； Glinn had been exceptionally cagey。 All he knew was； it was going to happen in a single night： that night。
The hatch opened and McFarlane turned at the sound。 He was surprised to see Glinn； who hadn't been on board the ship； as far as he could tell； for almost a week。
The man sauntered over casually。 Although his face remained gray； there was an easiness to his movements。 〃Evening；〃 he said。
〃You seem awfully calm。〃
Instead of replying； Glinn removed a pack of cigarettes and； much to McFarlane's surprise； slid one into his mouth。 He lit it； the match flaring against his sallow face； and took a long drag。
〃Didn't know you smoked。 Out of costume； anyway。〃
Glinn smiled。 〃I allow myself twelve cigarettes a year。 It's my one foolishness。〃
〃When was the last time you slept？〃 McFarlane asked。
Glinn gazed out over the peaceful waters。 〃I'm not sure。 Sleep is like food： after the first few days you stop missing it。〃
He smoked in silence for a few minutes。 〃Any fresh insights from your time in the ice tunnel？〃 he asked at last。
〃Tantalizing bits and pieces。 It has an atomic number in excess of four hundred； for example。〃
Glinn nodded。
〃Sound travels through it at ten percent the speed of light。 It has a very faint internal structure： an outer layer and an inner layer； with a small inclusion in the center。 Most meteorites e from the breakup of a larger body。 This one is just the opposite： it looks like it grew by accretion； probably in a jet of plasma from a hypernova。 Sort of like a pearl around a grain of sand。 That's why it's somewhat symmetrical。〃
〃Extraordinary。 And the electrical discharge？〃
〃Still a mystery。 We don't know why a human touch should trigger it when nothing else seems to。 We also don't know why it is that Lloyd； alone； escaped getting blown to bits。 We've got more data than we can even begin to analyze； and it's all contradictory。〃
〃What about the way our radios were knocked out after the explosion？ Any connection？〃
〃Yes。 It seems that after the discharge； the meteorite was in an excited state； emitting radio waves … long…wavelength electromagnetic radiation。 That accounts for the interference with radio munication。 Over time； it died down； but in its immediate vicinity … say； inside the tunnel … the meteorite was still throwing off enough radio noise to defeat radio traffic for several hours； at least。〃
〃And now？〃
〃It's settled down。 At least until the next explosion。〃
Glinn puffed silently； savoring the cigarette as McFarlane watched。 Then he gestured toward the shore； and the rickety shack that concealed the meteorite。 〃In a few hours； that thing will be in the tank。 If you have any last reservations； I need to know now。 Our lives at sea depend on it。〃
McFarlane said nothing。 He could almost feel the burden of the question settling on his shoulders。 〃I simply can't predict what's going to happen；〃 he said。
Glinn smoked。 〃I'm not asking for a prediction； only an educated guess。〃
〃We've had the chance to observe it； under various conditions； for almost two weeks。 Except for the electrical discharge apparently caused by human touch； it seems pletely inert。 It doesn't react to metal touching it； or even a high…powered electron microprobe。 As long as our safety precautions are kept rigidly in place； I can't think of any reason why it should act differently in the holding tank of the Rolvaag。〃
McFarlane hesitated； wondering if his own fascination with the meteorite was causing him to lose his objectivity。 The idea of leaving it behind was。。。 unthinkable。 He changed the subject。 〃Lloyd's been on the satellite phone almost hourly； and he's desperate for news。〃
Glinn inhaled blissfully； his eyes half closed； like a Buddha。 〃In thirty minutes； as soon as it's fully dark； we bring the ship up against the bluff and begin loading the meteorite on a tower built out of the tank。 It will be in the tank by three A。M。； and by dawn we'll be a good way to international waters。 You can relate that to Mr。 Lloyd。 Everything is under control。 Garza and Stonecipher will be running the operation。 I won't even be needed until the final stage。〃
〃What about that？〃 McFarlane nodded toward the destroyer。 〃Once you start lowering the rock into the tank； it's going to be exposed for all to see。 The Rolvaag will be a sitting duck。〃
〃We will work under cover of darkness and a predicted fog。 Nevertheless； I will be paying a call on andante Vallenar during the critical period。〃
McFarlane was not sure he had heard correctly。 〃You'll be doing what？〃
〃It will distract him。〃 Then； more quietly； 〃And it will serve other purposes as well。〃
〃That's insane。 He might arrest you； or even kill you。〃
〃I don't believe so。 By all accounts； andante Vallenar is a brutal man。 But he is not crazy。〃
〃In case you hadn't noticed； he's blocking our only exit。〃 Night had fallen； and a cloak of darkness had settled over the island。 Glinn checked his gold watch； then pulled a radio out of his pocket。 〃Manuel？ You may mence。〃
Almost instantaneously； the bluff was lit up by banks of brilliant lights； bathing the bleak landscape in a cold illumination。 A swarm of workers appeared as if out of nowhere。 Heavy machinery growled。
〃Jesus； why don't you put up a billboard saying： ‘Here it is'？〃 asked McFarlane。
〃The bluff is not visible from Vallenar's ship；〃 Glinn said。 〃It's blocked by that headland。 If Vallenar wants to see what this new activity is about … and he will … he'll have to move the destroyer back up to the northern end of the channel。 Sometimes the best disguise is no disguise at all。 Vallenar； you see； won't be expecting our departure。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Because we will also continue the decoy mining operation all night long。 All the heavy equipment； and two dozen men； will remain on the island； working at a feverish pace。 There will be occasional explosions； naturally； and lots of radio traffic。 Just before dawn； something