gan to function once again.
As I worked, I had reflected upon the powers soon to
be invoked, the forces that would traverse the Highway
to Hell for a brief time, and then like the Devil's envoy
or the Devil himself, perhapsчbe released, there in
the mid-Atlantic. The bleak weather that prevails in
these latitudes at this time of year did little to improve
my mood. A deadly force was to be employed, atomic
energy, to release an even more powerful phenomenon
чlive magmaчwhich seethed and bubbled now miles
beneath the sea itself. That anyone should play senseless
games with something like this was beyond my compre-
hension. Once again, the ship was shaken by the waves.
"Okay," I said. "There were a few shorts and I
straightened them out" I replaced the side panel.
"There shouldn't be any more trouble."
He regarded the monitor. "It seems to be functioning
all right now. Let me check. . . ."
He flipped the toggle and said, "Aquina to capsule.
Do you read me?"
"Yes," came the reply. "What happened?"
"Short circuit in the J-9," he answered. "It has been
repaired. What is your condition?"
"All systems returned to normal. Instructions?"
"Proceed with your mission," he said, then turned to
me. "I'll recommend you for something or other," he
said. "I'm sorry I snapped at you. I didn't know you
could service the J-9."
"I'm an electrical engineer," I replied, "and I've stud-
ied tills thing. I know it's restricted. If I hadn't been able
to figure out what was wrong, I wouldn't have touched
it."
"I take it you'd rather not be recommended for some-
thing or other?"
"That is correct."
"Then I will not do it."
Which was a very good thing, for the nonce, as I'd
