Rusch, Kristine Kathryn - Diving Universe SS3 by The Spires Of Denon (v5.0) Page B

in.
    She made herself concentrate on her fingers, reaching, reaching—
    —and finding nothing. They slipped into the next cavern, just like they had on the way in.
    She swam through, her heart pounding.
    Why have barriers on that side? Why not here?
    She couldn't figure it out.
    But it kept her brain busy while she swam to the next cavern.
    It kept her busy while she did her best to get out.
    * * * *

33
    “We have to figure out how to shut this off,” Gabrielle said. She was standing on the temple steps. Most of her team had gathered here, apparently looking for instruction.
    If they wanted instruction, she'd give it to them.
    She waved her hand at the wave of light. “This thing could be dangerous.”
    The light bath that she enjoyed every day hadn't been a brighter moment in the sun. The system had run some kind of program, one she'd been too stupid to understand.
    She'd never been inside the temple when it ran. She had always come outside to bathe in the light.
    If she had been inside, would she have seen that the temple's ceiling grew clear, and the light illuminated parts of the drawing below? She had no idea, and she couldn't think about it now.
    “There's a silvery black thread running through the light,” she said. “I don't like it. I've never seen it before.”
    She didn't tell them that the light illuminated the drawing inside or that the drawing was really a map. Nor did she tell them Meklos's theory that the entire thing—the Spires, the map, the temple—was some kind of defense system.
    “I'm convinced, though,” she said, “that this is all manmade. If there's a way to turn it on—and something clearly did—then there's a way to turn it off. We have to find it.”
    “The light is focused on the temple,” said one of the graduate students. “Does that mean the controls are inside?'
    How am I supposed to know, you ass?  she nearly snapped, but she caught herself just in time.
    “Maybe,” she said. “Or maybe there's something near the Spires. Spread out and look. Those of you with engineering experience, look around here first. Use scanners and communicators. If the Spires can survive that loud siren, they can survive anything.”
    She hoped. It was all a guess now. And so far, at least when it came to the Spires of Denon, all of her previous guesses had been wrong.
    * * * *

34
    By the time they reached the ground floor of the building that hid the cavern's entrance, Meklos was carrying Yusef. The man had fainted halfway up, which was probably a blessing.
    Meklos carried him through the door and into the street. Several members of Dr. Reese's team were running by.
    “Hey! Hey!” he shouted. “I need help here.”
    Chavo stopped. So did two others.
    “He needs a doctor,” Meklos said. “Get him to the doctor. And send my people here. They need to go to the caves.”
    “Caves?” Chavo asked.
    So Dr. Reese hadn't told the rest of her team.
    “Caves,” Meklos said. “Through this door is an entrance leading down. I need at least three of my people, preferably the ones who can dive.”
    “Dive?” Chavo asked.
    “Just tell Phin that,” Meklos said, realizing he had no time to explain. “He'll understand.”
    Meklos passed Yusef off to two of the students, then ran back into the building. He heard steps behind him, turned, and saw Chavo.
    “I gave you instructions,” Meklos snapped.
    “I just didn't believe it. Do you think the controls are in here?”
    “What controls?” Meklos asked.
    “For the light,” Chavo said.
    “I don't care,” Meklos said. “Go get Phin. I need help here—experienced help—and I need it now. You got that? You can search for whatever it is you're searching for after you get me some assistance.”
    “Yes, sir,” Chavo said and sprinted for the door.
    Meklos was halfway down the stairs before he realized what Chavo was talking about. The controls for the defense system. Dr. Reese must have sent them in search of the controls.
    Stupid woman.