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"Turn on the speaker," Pitt ordered

A voice rattled into the operations room, muffled behind a wave of static

"So the transmission," said Curly "The relay unit on the air-line buoy should be picking them up loud and clear"

"Give your voluot Maybe we can make some sense out of Woodson's reply"

"Sappho II, could you repeat please We cannot read you Over"

As soon as Curly turned up the speaker, the explosion of ear-splitting crackle made everyone jump

"------corn We ------- ----ou ----lear ----ver"

Pitt grabbed the microphone "Omar, this is Pitt Your cabin TV camera is out Can you repair? We will await your reply Over"

Every eye in the operations rooh it were alive Five intered by while they patiently waited for Woodson's report Then Woodson's fragain

"Hen----- Munk ------- ------est per-----on ------ sur---------"

Giordino twisted his face, puzzled "Soarbled to comprehend"

"They're back on monitor" Not every eye had been ai man at the TV monitors had never taken his off Sappho II's screen "The crew looks like they're grouped around so on the deck"

Like spectators at a tennis ures were round three rotesquely on the submersible's narrow cabin deck

"Omar, listen to me," Pitt snapped into the microphone "We do not understand your transmissions You are back on TV monitor I repeat, you are back on TV e and hold it up to the camera Over"

They watched one of the figures detach itself fro and then approach the TV camera It was Woodson He held up a scrap of paper whose