"It cost Commander Robert Peary... 20 years of unremitting hardship and misery... to reach the North Role finally in 1909." "It would have astounded Peary to learn that by the late 1950s and early '60s... the vast, frozen top of the world he pioneered... had become a vital highway for world travel and commerce." "Not just in the skies... but also deep under the ice... in the frigid five-million-square-mile depths of the Arctic Ocean." "Here, great passenger-and cargo-carrying atomic submarines... glided by the dozens back and forth across the Role... until a series of mysterious undersea disasters... threatened to close the Arctic route forever." "The decisive moment came May 3 at 1315 hours... when the undersea atomic liner, Sturgeon, largest of them all... reached 87 degrees, 10 minutes north latitude... only a few miles from the North Role itself." "According to the official reports... the next phase of the life-and-death drama... occurred May 10 in Washington... at a hush-hush supersecret meeting... of the Arctic theater war room." "Gentlemen, this is the man we've been waiting for." "The skipper of the atom killer sub, Tiger Shark." "Commander Dan Wendover." "This is Justin Murdock, secretary of defense." " Mr. Murdock." " Commander." "And I know you've heard a lot of Dr. Clifford Kent, Dan." " Doctor." " Commander." "Dr. Kent had a lot to do with the development and design of your boat." "Sir Ian Hunt just flew in from London." "The Dr. Hunt, winner of the Nobel Prize for oceanography?" "Oh, let's just say I took the bow for a team of very brilliant associates." "Uh, sit down." "Gentlemen, to begin, let me read you just one line... from a detailed staff study prepared for the Joint Chiefs." ""In our judgment, these Arctic disasters... may prove the gravest emergency in all history."" "Any comments on that statement?" "A bit fanciful, isn't it, sir?" "Possibly." "Let me read you, uh, a partial list of observed phenomena." ""Destruction of four surface vessels." "Largest, 10,000 tons." ""Radioactivity in Arctic waters, flow ice and bergs." ""Reculiar television images preceding each distress call." ""Seven polar atom subs... vanished without a trace. "" ""Fanciful," did you say, uh, Sir Ian?" "And now, Dan, we come to you." "You skipper the Tiger Shark... the most advanced, the deadliest killer sub in the fleet." "Right now she's undergoing emergency around-the-clock modification... in the Bremerton Navy Yard." "The orders call for special observation and testing instruments here... removal of all but two atomic torpedoes... special launching equipment for water-to-air ballistic missiles... and a special escape hatch in the keel for the Lungfish." "The Lungfish?" "Yes." "Uh, a deep exploration device, sort of an animated diving bell." "The mission of the Tiger Shark... is to hunt down and identify the cause of these Arctic disasters." "If humanly possible... you will remove it." "Not that I don't think Lieutenant Commander Holloway... is the finest exec in the entire sub fleet,Julie... and not that he isn't the best friend that I have " "Come on, Dave." "You talk too much." "Now be quiet, little mother." "I" " I feel behooved to warn you... our friend Reef is no less than the number one howl in the entire sub wolf pack." "Nuclear powered." "And when it comes to women-Well... he has got a built-in sonar detector that " "Dave, you know you're exaggerating, old buddy-buddy." "You know it." "Yes, you are." "You know, on most boats, a certain loyalty exists... between the exec and his navigation and firing officer... but in the case of Lieutenant David Milburn of the Tiger Shark and myself" "But su" " She's a nice girl." "Uh, I've seen you work." "I think she deserves a fighting chance." "Helen, I appeal to you." "Dave, look at me." "I'm the mother of your three children." "Will you please take me home to them at once?" "There you are." "Just drop in anytime." "Don't bother to call.Just" "Just drop in." "That's my way of life." "Dave is exaggerating, you know." "I mean, a man spends three months in a deep freeze... it'll take his whole leave just to thaw him out." "By that time, he's ready to report back." "It won't take me long to defrost." "Not around you." "What was I saying about thawing out icebergs?" "Yeah, you, uh - You never can tell about icebergs." "Only show one-ninth above water." "After that kiss, I'd say that's about right." " Do you feel anything?" " Are you kidding?" "No, I mean that this is just the beginning of something." "That we didn't just meet accidentally." "Oh, that's original." "Doesn't the next chorus go something like..." ""Let's not waste one precious golden moment." "Any second there could be a knock on the door and -"" "Well, I've seen stranger things happen." "It happens all the time to heroes on television, plays, motion pictures." "The hero gets his leave canceled, and he's " "And she spends the rest of her life wishing that she'd " "Oh, honey." "Let's not waste one precious moment then." "What's that pounding?" "Need I say more?" "Mmm." "Reef, look." " Oh, no." " What's wrong?" "What is it?" "Oh, no." "Reef." " They caught you too, huh?" " At the worst possible moment." "Tomorrow's Janie's birthday." "Poor little kid's been looking forward two whole months to having her daddy home." " Now " " That's the worst possible moment?" "What could be worse than disappointing a little girl?" "Disappointing a big girl." "Julie?" "Really tough, old buddy." "Oh, really tough." "Skipper, I thought you were going to Washington." "I did.Just got back." "Reef, I want you to meet a couple of our passengers." "Sir Ian Hunt and Dr. Clifford Kent." "My exec, Commander Richard Holloway." " Glad to know you, sir." " How do you do?" " Dr. Kent." "Met you before." " Yes indeed, Commander." "You gentlemen are going with us." "What for?" "We'll discuss that later." "Roberts." " Have Chief Griffin report to me as soon as the crew's aboard." " Yes, sir." " Watkins." " Yes, sir." " Will you show these gentlemen to their quarters?" " Aye, aye, sir." "This way." "Well." "Sorry we had to cut your leave short." " Yeah." " Come at the wrong time?" "Yeah." "Will do." " Oh, it's you." " Yeah." "Griff, what's the scoop?" "Hauled out in the middle of the night, all leaves canceled." "We going to war, or what?" "Don't you worry, Chester." "When the skipper wants you to know what's going on, he'll tell ya." "Okay?" " I don't like it." "I mean, this is all mighty funny." " Ah, isn't it, though?" "Suppose you get aboard anyway." " I don't like it." " What did you say?" "I like it." "I like it." "Hey." "Well, skipper, I think I'll stow my gear." " Well, Reef, I got some bad news for ya." " Oh, yeah?" " You're gonna have to share quarters this trip." " Who with?" " Dr. Neilsen." " Dr. Neilsen?" "When did that happen?" " Huh?" " Oh, it's all right." "We're old friends." "Dave, stand by to shove off as soon as Griff reports the crew aboard." "Right, skipper." "Well, looks like we're gonna share quarters, skipper." "Been a long " "Carl." "You?" "Oh, of course." "I should have suspected when I heard that "doctor."" " I thought it was your father." " It was supposed to be." " Dad had a heart attack two days ago." " He what?" "It was mild." "He'll be all right." "But it was out of the question his coming along." "And they thought you could replace the skipper, huh?" "There was no choice." "Dad and I developed the Lungfish together." "Except for him, I'm the only one qualified to dive in it." " You could have trained somebody else." " Not in two days." "Look, do you think I wanted to come?" "If it didn't mean so much to Dad, proving his depth explorer, I certainly wouldn't be here." "That I can believe." "The Tiger Shark left her dock at Bremerton at 0335 hours... the morning of May 11... on what was to prove the strangest, most fearful voyage ever made by a submarine... atomic or otherwise." "Simultaneously with the Shark's departure... and with his crew still in the dark concerning their secret, fateful mission..." "Skipper Wendover made the first notation in the log." "The men would remain unbriefed for two hours... until the Tiger Shark cleared Ruget Sound... and was headed for open sea." "Who the devil belongs to this gear?" "Uh, we do, Chief." "Oh." "You two guys, huh?" "And just what do you do around here?" "Underwater demolition." "Seaman First Class Powell, and I'm Carney." "Yeah, I know." "So you're frogmen." "Yeah, we're off tin cans." "We've, uh, looked the pigboat over from, uh, fore to aft... but can't seem to find an empty locker, uh, to store our stuff in." "An empty locker?" "In a sub?" "Are you kiddin'?" "This whole deal is makin' less and less sense to me." "What are frogmen doin' aboard the Tiger Shark?" "Following orders, like everyone else in the navy." "Beats me." "But orders are orders." "Yeah, well, uh, in the meantime, where do you want us to stash these gizmos?" "Come on." "Shortly before dawn... the Tiger Shark, running submerged at better than 30 knots... had left the sound behind... and was headed for open sea." "Here are our orders, Reef." "Look 'em over while I fill in the crew." "Now hear this." "This is the captain speaking." "I know you're wondering about all the mystery." "Well, our job had to be kept absolutely secret." "Our mission is to find out what caused the disasters under the Arctic ice." "Once we cross the Arctic Circle, any command you hear will be the real thing." "Please remember it." "That's about it." "Now you know as much as I or anybody else does, for that matter." "Oh, incidentally, I assured Washington... that this was the best sub crew in the fleet." "I know you won't make a liar out of me." "Carry on." "That's it." "What do you think?" "I think I should have joined the air force." "A week later, the Tiger Shark was still running due north at cruising speed." "So far, the voyage was routine, uneventful." "But the nearer they came to the Arctic Circle... the more the tension increased... the more tiny irritations were magnified into bitter feuds... the more the crewmen pondered their possible fate." "On the morning of May 20... the Tiger Shark crossed the Arctic Circle into the critical area." "You're always asking me why I stay a bachelor." "There goes one of the best reasons I can think of." " Huh?" " Yeah." "I might have a son like that." "I don't get it." "What goes with you two?" "I guess his father, Skipper Neilsen, retired before you enrolled at the academy, didn't he?" "I guess." "One of the finest men and officers alive." "A real hero in the best sense of the word." "World War II." "Taught engineering and design at the academy." " Fought like a demon for atomic subs." " So?" "So, when his only son dropped out of school, began making statements... all sounding like borrowed propaganda " ""Ban the atomic test." "Junk the nuclear subs."" ""Spend the military budget for peace."" "Well, it just about broke the old man's heart." "Then when the newspapers picked it up... called Carl the honest, sincere son of a warmongering father... well, Captain Neilsen resigned from the navy." "Oh, he still keeps his hand in with projects like the Lungfish... but it broke him all the same." "Have, uh" " Have you talked to Carl?" "Tried to get his side?" "His side?" "He's all front with no back." "How can he have a side?" "Either of you men seen Dr. Neilsen?" "He's in here, sir." "Oh, uh, Tuttle, Powell, would you men mind leaving us alone for a few minutes?" "Sure, Mr. Holloway." "Dr. Neilsen." "What is it?" "You are out." "This came for you." " My father?" " Dead?" "No." "As a matter of fact, he's a lot better." "Just got out of the hospital." "What did you mean I'm out?" " Your father can be in Nome, Alaska tomorrow." "We have two choices." "We can ask them to bring him out by helicopter and take you off... or we can put the Shark back into Nome." "You trade school boys are all alike, aren't you?" "Anybody who doesn't think like a little gold-braided puppet is ipso facto a coward." "You said it." "I didn't." "Well, wearing a uniform doesn't bestow an automatic monopoly on courage, Commander." "It just so happens I'm not a coward - physical or mental." "And before I'd risk my father's life " " We're all risking our lives." " That may be... but Dad stays where he is, and I'm staying here." "Oh, you are a mixed-up oddball, aren't you?" "Well, perhaps." "But the idea of willingly going to school... to spend my life at a Paleozoic pastime that should have disappeared with the thunder lizards " "I'm referring to war- that strikes me as the worst cowardice of all - being spiritually yellow." " You mean nothing's worth fighting for?" " Peace." "The dignity of man, destiny of human spirit." "Now, you show me a man who says you win these fighting wars, and I'll show you an idiot." "Oh, Carl, you talk like so many young men I've" " I've known." "You talk well." "Literately, intelligently- even brilliantly sometimes." "But you're all talk." "What do you do about your ideas... your ideals?" "You mentioned my uniform." "These are my work clothes." "They represent what I'm willing to do... how hard I'm willing to work for what I believe in." "I doubt your willingness for anything... except talk about what you're against." "That talk darn near killed your father." "Mr. Holloway to the Conn, please." "The instruments have all gone crazy, and take a look at the screen." "Incredible." "Absolutely incredible." " What hit us?" " It doesn't seem possible... but could it be an electric storm center?" "Underwater?" "High-intensity arcs will burn submerged... and millions of volts discharged in random directions." "Is there any way out of this?" "Seems all around." "What about down?" " I don't know." " Take her down." " Maximum angle, maximum depth." " Aye, aye, sir." "Take her down." "Maximum angle, maximum depth." "Sir Ian has evolved a theory." "At first I wasn't about to buy it... but we have eliminated one by one every other logical explanation." "Mmm." "It is rather fantastic." "But, uh... here... is a chart of the Arctic region." "On it I've plotted every instant of these peculiar phenomena... the sinkings, electrical storms... our own experiences." "Now, uh... here is where we encountered the electrical storm." "The Sturgeon was lost about here." "The others here, here... and here." " Do you see it?" " See what?" "The pattern." "The pattern." "Each incident occurred almost precisely 1,000 statute miles from the Pole." "A line drawn through the points of occurrence... makes almost a complete circle around the Pole." "Which adds up to what, Sir Ian?" "I cannot accept the idea that these phenomena were... either random or natural." "I believe they were motivated by... some sort of intelligence." "Do you mean that somebody is " "I didn't mean to imply a human intelligence." "Well, what on earth kind of intelligence is it, Sir Ian?" "Oh, perhaps..." "it's not an intelligence on Earth." "Perhaps it's an intelligence from beyond the Earth." "What can we do about it, sir?" "I've been thinking about that." "As you see, these occurrences were on this line... almost a perfect circle around the Pole." "However, there may be a significant break in that ring... here in the area of the Queen Victoria Sea near Franz Josef Land... north of Murmansk and Finland." "Supposing your theorizing is correct... then this could be the next danger point." "Yes." "Yes." "But supposing we, uh, anticipated a little." "Supposing... the Tiger Shark was lurking there, waiting." "He could be right." "We'll chart our course right straight across the Pole and bring us here." "The Queen Victoria Sea." "So, swiftly, implacably... the Tiger Shark moved across the top of the world... toward a rendezvous with what?" "We've been running due south along the 30th degree of longitude." "By my reckoning we should be about here, just short of our planned position." " And that should be " " Just about the critical point, if we're on the right track." " Prepare to surface." "Flank speed." " Aye." "Prepare to surface." "Flank speed." "Mr. Milburn." "Quick, look at this." "Skipper, Reef!" "Those chunks of ice are coming right at us." "Dive!" "Dive!" "Dive!" "Dive!" " Determine extent of damage." " Aft to torpedo room, report." "This is Griff, Captain." "Moderate leak in overhead plates." "Damage to main driveshaft housing." "Forced to full stop." " We're dead in the water." " Captain." "Whatever it is, it certainly can travel." "Course and speed." "Speed, about 22 knots." "Course, due north." "Directly toward the Pole." " Are you two flounders about set?" " We're ready." "Now, try and remember, you're not going out to rehearse a water ballet." " We need a damage report." " I never should have volunteered." "If I had enough sense, I would have " "Hey, uh, look out for the sharks, huh?" "A pure oval shape... with this cyclops-like eye, or turret, on top." "I'd estimate its diameter at, oh, 300 feet." "No discernible orifices." "The eye of Cyclops." "What did you say, Sir Ian?" "Just musing about our one-eyed adversary... and the Homer legend." "The Cyclopes were the sons of heaven... who forged the thunderbolts thrown by Zeus." "Our own cyclops throws quite a thunderbolt itself." "I knew there was something familiar." "Take a look." "This picture was taken by an amateur astronomer over New Mexico." "I've had it since I served on the Air Force Evaluation Board... for U.F.O. Reports." ""Unidentified flying objects."" "Then this is a flying saucer." "That was the popular designation, yes." "Weren't all the sightings in the sky, not underwater?" "This would explain why there were never any reports of landings." "It's quite possible that whoever or... whatever inhabits this craft... is not a land creature at all... but some form of marine life." "That would make our little green men actually little green fish." "Undersea flying saucers." " Excuse me, skipper." " Yeah, Griff?" "All internal repairs completed, and frogmen report exterior damage minor." " Good." " Then we can get under way, huh?" " Right, sir." " Dave, you plotted the course of Cyclops?" "Then that's our course." "Where he goes, we go until we get him." "Or perhaps until he gets us." "So the Tiger Shark began relentlessly stalking her space enemy." "Up to the Role, back to the Arctic Circle, again and again." "A week, a fortnight, a month." "Never a glimpse of their enemy, but there were reports." "New disasters, new ships and lives lost." "Invariably, the Tiger Shark made for the scene... only to arrive after Cyclops had left." "For all its desperation, the pursuit seemed fruitless." "And then on July 3, Dr. Kent and Sir Ian... held an urgent discussion with Reef and the skipper." "Why does Cyclops invariably turn to the Pole between attacks?" "Never two in succession." "Always away and back, away and back." "We've asked ourselves that over and over a thousand times." "But answers are what we need, not more questions." "We think now we have them." "We took for granted his source of energy was nuclear." "But suppose it isn't at all." "What if it is magnetic?" "Yes." "Yes." "We harness energy on a small scale by cutting magnetic lines of force." "Supposing Cyclops does it on a superscale?" "The North Pole is the positive end of the biggest magnet of all: the Earth itself." "What you're getting at is that you think our saucer friend... must return to the Pole regularly to recharge his batteries." "That may be oversimplifying it." "But, uh " "Now, uh, our present tactics are useless." "But suppose we place ourselves between Cyclops and the Pole." "In such a way as to prevent him returning to the Pole to... as you put it, recharge his batteries." "If we are lucky enough to catch him with his power depleted." "Then we polish him off with an atomic fish." "We wait till the next report of trouble, and then we lie in wait for him... right in his path, and bushwhack him." " "Bushwhack"?" " Yes, it's an American tactical expression." "Oh." "So, a change of tactics." "Now the Tiger Shark cruised almost over the North Role... waiting for the radio report that would put the plan into effect." "On July 13, at 1600 hours, it came." " We got it, Reef." " Cyclops?" "Sounds like a distress signal from a small freighter between Ellesmere Island and Greenland." " One Mayday, then nothing." " Where's the skipper?" "Already in the Conn." " We're here." " All right." "This is where Cyclops knocked off the freighter." "This is the way he has to head for home - the Pole." "Here we are, right in his path." "Sonar and TV-scan the bottom." "Find a good place to hide and lie in wait for him... maybe a cave or a valley." "Rig for silent running." "As soon as we're on the bottom, secure everything that hums or buzzes." " I want absolute silence." " Very well." "Rig for silent running." "Hour upon hour, the Tiger Shark lay in its deep-six ambush." "The Arctic depths were as still and silent as an uninhabited world." "And then at 0600 hours " "Skipper, Dr. Kent." " What is it?" " That's him." "It has to be." "Range: 22 miles." "Speed:" "I give it 14 knots." "His radiation level is very low." "That would confirm our theory about having to return to the Pole." "It better be correct." "Get me a setup on the T.D.C. Range: about seven miles." "Reef, arm atomic warheads." "Load Tubes 1 and 2, and report to the Conn." " Sounds like we mean business." " Yeah." "Griff, you arm number two." "I'll handle number one." "Load one and two." "Open outer doors." "Stand by for action." "Range: now 15 miles." " You sure it's Cyclops?" " Take a look." "Range: 14.5 miles." "Griff to skipper." "Tubes 1 and 2 loaded." "Outer doors open." "Ready to fire." "Stand by." "Range: eight miles." "Range: 73/ 4 miles." "Zero minus 10... nine, eight... seven, six, five... four, three, two... one, target zero." "Fire 1." " Number one, fired." " Fire 2." "Number two, fired." " How are they running?" " Hot, straight and normal." "Number one missed." "How could it?" "We're dead on the target with the homing first." " What's that?" " A mass of jelly-like stuff came out of the thing and caught our torpedo." "It must function like a degaussing field." "We'll never get a torpedo through that." "Maybe not a torpedo." "Blow all main ballast tanks." "Reactor room, stand by." "As soon as we're off the bottom, I want all ahead, flank." " What course, skipper?" " Right at our one-eyed friend." " Right at him?" " That's what I said." " But what can we accomplish?" " We can ram him." "You've weighed the consequences, Captain, the lives involved?" "Doctor, I've weighed the destruction that the Cyclops has done already... and what he'll do in the future unless we stop him right now." " There must be some other means." " What other means?" "If the Tiger Shark can't stop him, no power on Earth can." "Now brace yourselves." "Sound the collision alarm." "We got him, skipper." "Drove right into him." "Look at that." "Speared him like a fish." "We did it, boys." "Dove right through the saucer's side." "Reactor room, give me all reverse, full." "We're stuck tight." "Skipper, take a look at this depth gauge." "180 fathoms?" "We can't be sinking that fast." "It's our screws, skipper." "At our declination angle, running in reverse... they're pulling the shark and cyclops right to the bottom." "And we're at safe maximum depth already." " Full stop." " Full stop." "Hours later, the two titanic craft were still locked together... in an apparent death grip... on the bottom of the Arctic Ocean... nearly 1200 feet below the surface." "Well, anybody got any ideas?" "Anything's better than lying here." "Suppose there's some kind of atmosphere inside the Cyclops." "What do you mean?" "Well, maybe we could get inside the saucer." "We could use our torches..." " to cut the Shark loose." " That's all very well, young man." "How would one go about getting inside Cyclops?" "Through the eye using the depth explorer." "Yes." "The explorer was built to operate at even greater depths." "Yeah, but suppose there isn't any atmosphere inside the saucer." "Well, then the idea's no good." "But we're no worse off than we are now." " You've gotta let us try, skipper." " Us?" "Reef and I could take the explorer down, clamp it onto the eye " "No." "You can't, but I can." "I can deliver you to the eye." "Then you " "A little out of your line, isn't it?" "Why don't you stay aboard and make a speech?" "Maybe you could get them to ban flying saucers." "Listen, Holloway." "However our ideas disagree, I've said before, I'm not a coward." "And it happens you have no choice." "Either I take you down there in the Lungfish..." " or you don't get there." " I'd sooner swim." " That's enough, both of you." " Very well, sir." "No use making the odds any longer than they are." "It so happens that Dr. Neilsen's right." "Get the explorer in the air lock and prepare for launching." " Better take Carney and Powell with you." " The frogmen?" "That's right." "Their underwater experience might make them invaluable." " You'll need sidearms." " Sidearms?" "The saucer's dead." " You hope." " We better get ready." "Girls, you go everywhere I go." "All right, Carl." "There's still time." " You wanna show me how?" " Get in." "Ready to open air lock door, Captain." "Go ahead, Griff." " What now?" " What do you say, Doctor?" " Shall we take a chance?" " That's what we came for." "You all stay here." "I'm gonna take a look inside." "Not alone, you're not." "Better breathe your oxygen, just in case." " Air, pure air, under pressure." " That's a relief." "Well, we won't need these tanks." "Good luck, men." "All right, let's go." "The bow drilled through her, but she sealed herself right up." "Yeah, there's our problem." "The sawteeth of the ram are caught in the break." "Now, if we can cut it away, the Shark can pull herself loose." " I think you're right." " Powell, go back to Dr. Neilsen." "Tell him to report to the skipper." "All right, let's get to work." "We read you, Doctor." "Go ahead." "They're inside the Cyclops." "It's full of breathable air." " Wonderful." " That's great, Doctor." "Reef thinks that he can clear the Shark's bow so we can pull ourselves loose." "What's it like inside the Cyclops?" "This is a priceless opportunity to " "Doctor, tell Reef to make sure that you're in the clear before we make another move." "Right." "Over." " We may get out of this yet." " Skipper." " Could you take a look here?" " What's wrong, Griff?" "The inertial navigation system must've been knocked out in the crash." "We're dead in the water, but it indicates we're moving." " That's impossible." " The radiation level from the saucer is rising." "What direction does the system indicate?" "Due north at five knots." "No, six." "Toward the Pole." "But that Cyclops is dead." "We killed it, didn't we?" "Beats me." " Dave." " Yeah?" "Do you hear anything?" "I don't hear anything." "You've been down here too long." "You better go topside and rest." "Strange you don't hear it." " Reef." " Huh?" "You know something?" "I think it's getting lighter in here." "Yeah." "Yeah, it is." "If I didn't know better..." "I'd swear we were moving." "Well, let's get back to work, and maybe we will be soon." "I'm getting an impression of movement, Captain." "Is that possible?" "We get the same reaction up here." "Now they're feeling it down below." "The radiation level, constantly rising." "As we near the Pole." "There's got to be an explanation." "I think there is." "I believe our friend Cyclops is returning to life." "Commander Holloway, listen." " Dave." " Commander Holloway, make no resistance." "Did you hear it?" "That sound again?" "This time it was a voice." "It called my name." "Look, why don't you go topside?" "You will see-that avails nothing." "Where do you think the sound was coming from?" "Down there somewhere." "Carney!" "Carney, help me!" "Carney!" "Help me, Carney!" "Help Mel" "Carney!" "Carney, help!" "Remove your weapons, Commander." "And come here below." " Come where?" " To me, here." "That voice again?" "It wants me to go alone." "Oh, it does, does it?" "You better stay here." "So, Commander Holloway, as you Earth inhabitants would express it... we meet, face-to-face." "That's a face?" "Point of view is everything." "To us, your form of life is ugly... as we appear to you." "Tell me something." "Why is it that I can hear you and the others can't?" "You do not hear me." "Our individual brain frequencies are now attuned... and we exchange wave-thoughts." "You mean, extrasensory perception?" "Whatever your Earth term may be... the principle is ancient and very simple." "It is not necessary for you to speak." "Your thought response will suffice." "My mission is to study various solar systems and planets." "Select the most suitable for colonization." "For horrors like yourself?" "Of course." "It may interest you to know I have visited hundreds of other worlds... and of all of them, your Earth seems most suitable." "Swell." "Your friend was to remain where he was." " He did." " I am afraid not." " Dave." " What's going on in here, lad?" "What " "Stand away from him, Commander." "He wants you back." "So this is your headquarters." "Well, you've sunk your last ship, you " "Why not me?" "What am I, the closing act?" "On the contrary." "I want you unharmed, perfect." "Why?" "I have selected you to return with me... along with several other specimens for study." "We will examine you and the others... discover desirable features to incorporate in our Earth colonizers." "And you just build them in, huh?" "Of course." "Evolution is much too slow a process." "On Earth, you build with inanimate material." "We employ living tissue." "This space vehicle, for example." "It is a living thing." "When damaged- you would say "wounded"- it immediately heals itself." "Oh, that's why no water leaked inside when we rammed you." "Of course." "But it is time to begin the return voyage." "To navigate, won't you have to see your way?" "Obviously." "It'll be rough!" " Back to the Shark, right now." " What about Dave and the others?" "Fortunes of war." "Skipper, this is Reef from the depth explorer." " Pull loose!" " Right, Reef." "Reactor room, get me all back." "Emergency." " Well, what about the " " Skipper, we didn't kill it." "And if that thing ever gets back to where it came from... the Earth is doomed and everybody on it." "We've pulled loose, Captain." "We're free!" "There it goes." "Headed straight for the Role, 50 knots." "Nothing we can do." "Excuse me, Captain." "There may be one last desperate chance." "What's that?" "It's possible I could adapt one of the torpedo guidance systems to the I.C.B.M... so it would home on the saucer when he rises from the Pole." "What about the time?" "The Cyclops will have to linger at the Pole to recharge its power banks." "Well, it's worth a chance." "Reef, take over as navigator and see if you can find us an air hole in the ice." " Let's go." " Very well." "Adapt a complicated guidance system to a huge ballistic rocket." "Convert it to a water-to-air interceptor missile." "It was foolish." "It was insane." "It was fantastic." "But it was their only hope... and the Earth's only hope." " Ready?" " As ready as we can be." "I'll report to the skipper." "Skipper... we found our hole in the ice." "What's the corrected bearing to the magnetic pole?" "357 degrees." "Prepare the I.C.B.M. for firing." "Well, that's about all we can do until our space friend decides to blast off." "Skipper, I think it's " "Fire!" "Fire!" "Attention, all hands." "We got him." "Cigarette?" "Ah, they're so remote, the stars." " Hmm." " Cold and beautiful." " Now I wonder." " Yeah?" "Which is the one?" "The one we have to worry about?" "Well, we have enough ills here to worry about." "But maybe,just maybe... when their ship doesn't return, they'll decide not to come here after all." "But if they do?" " Well." " Oh, I wouldn't worry." "Knowing we have boats like the Tiger Shark... men like you, skipper..." "Dave, Sir Ian, Kent, and my father" "And his egghead son." "We'll give 'em a rough reception, won't we?" "You know, I think I lost my little black book on that lousy thing."