Read Online Atlantis: Devil's Sea by Robert Doherty - Free Book Online
Authors: Robert Doherty
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submersible to check it out.”
“What’s that got to do with the next phase?” Dane asked.
“We want to see if there is any reaction to the submersible from the Devil’s Sea gate, which isn’t far from there,” Foreman said. “If we get activity, Nagoya can use the data he picks up to check this theory and try to pin-point in the Devil’s Sea gate.
*****
Mount Everest could be dropped in the Challenger Deep with six thousand feet of water still between its peak and the surface. It was the deepest point on the surface of the planet, the lowest spot in the Marianas Trench, which swept in a fifteen-hundred-mile arc from just below Iwo Jima to south of Guam. It was due south of the Devil’s Sea gate, an area off the coast of Japan where mysterious disappearances of planes and boats had been recorded throughout history.
For the two members of the crew of Deepflight III , the opportunity to dive into the Challenger Deep was the equivalent of a climber given the opportunity to go up Everest. The major difference was the somber tone to the preparations as the craft was lowered over the side of its tender ship the USS Roger Reveille .
Deepflight III was a radical departure from previous submersibles. It looked more like an airplane than a submarine. The crew compartment was a titanium sphere in the center. Wings with controllable flaps extended from each side. Forward of the sphere was a specially designed beak that reduced drag when the submersible was moving forward. In the rear were two vertical fins right behind the dual propeller system.
The sphere was solid with just two holes in it; one a section that screwed out to allow ingress, egress, and the second, smaller one that accessed control and command cables. To see outside, the crew used various cameras and radar. Powerful spotlights were bolted all around the craft, allowing the crew to illuminate the area immediately around it. It was forty feet long, and the wingspan was fifteen feet. The submersible had been hastily rigged with a pod, the purpose of which had not been explained to the crew.
Inside Deepflight , Captain Gann insured that all checklists for the dive were completed, and then turned to his partner, Lieutenant Murphy. “Ready, Murphy?”
“Ready.”
“Release umbilicals.”
“Released.”
“We’re going down.”
*****
“The submersible is at ten thousand meters’ depth,” Ahana reported. “The pod is working. “ She looked up from her computer monitor. “Sir, do those men in Deepflight know what exactly their mission is?”
“Reconnaissance,” Nagoya replied shortly.
“Their real mission,” Ahana amended.
“That is Foreman’s responsibility,” Nagoya said.
“Sir . . .” she began, but stopped.
“It is dangerous,” Nagoya agreed. “But the pod is designed to be jettisoned. We don’t know what the reaction from the Shadow will be or if there will even be a reaction.”
“And if there isn’t?”
“Then we send the submersible into the gate itself. We’re hoping by just approaching the graveyard and using the pod to send out the frequency we’ve determined that we will draw some sort of reaction, but the crew will have a chance to escape. The odds are much lower if they have to go into the gate.”
“ And Russia?”
“Kolkov says he is working on a plan to insert their pod. That is phase two.”
*****
Deepflight III passed through nine thousand meters. It was descending into the center of the Marianas Trench, radar making sure they were clear of walls on either side. Gann and Murphy were focused on navigation, insuring that everything was functioning correctly. With the outside pressure at seven tons per square inch, the slightest malfunction could be fatal.
“Depth to bottom?” Gann asked.
“Two thousand, one hundred thirty-three meters,” Murphy replied.
“Right on target.”
*****
“There,” Ahana was pointing at her computer screen. The solid black triangle marking the Devil’s Triangle
“What’s that got to do with the next phase?” Dane asked.
“We want to see if there is any reaction to the submersible from the Devil’s Sea gate, which isn’t far from there,” Foreman said. “If we get activity, Nagoya can use the data he picks up to check this theory and try to pin-point in the Devil’s Sea gate.
*****
Mount Everest could be dropped in the Challenger Deep with six thousand feet of water still between its peak and the surface. It was the deepest point on the surface of the planet, the lowest spot in the Marianas Trench, which swept in a fifteen-hundred-mile arc from just below Iwo Jima to south of Guam. It was due south of the Devil’s Sea gate, an area off the coast of Japan where mysterious disappearances of planes and boats had been recorded throughout history.
For the two members of the crew of Deepflight III , the opportunity to dive into the Challenger Deep was the equivalent of a climber given the opportunity to go up Everest. The major difference was the somber tone to the preparations as the craft was lowered over the side of its tender ship the USS Roger Reveille .
Deepflight III was a radical departure from previous submersibles. It looked more like an airplane than a submarine. The crew compartment was a titanium sphere in the center. Wings with controllable flaps extended from each side. Forward of the sphere was a specially designed beak that reduced drag when the submersible was moving forward. In the rear were two vertical fins right behind the dual propeller system.
The sphere was solid with just two holes in it; one a section that screwed out to allow ingress, egress, and the second, smaller one that accessed control and command cables. To see outside, the crew used various cameras and radar. Powerful spotlights were bolted all around the craft, allowing the crew to illuminate the area immediately around it. It was forty feet long, and the wingspan was fifteen feet. The submersible had been hastily rigged with a pod, the purpose of which had not been explained to the crew.
Inside Deepflight , Captain Gann insured that all checklists for the dive were completed, and then turned to his partner, Lieutenant Murphy. “Ready, Murphy?”
“Ready.”
“Release umbilicals.”
“Released.”
“We’re going down.”
*****
“The submersible is at ten thousand meters’ depth,” Ahana reported. “The pod is working. “ She looked up from her computer monitor. “Sir, do those men in Deepflight know what exactly their mission is?”
“Reconnaissance,” Nagoya replied shortly.
“Their real mission,” Ahana amended.
“That is Foreman’s responsibility,” Nagoya said.
“Sir . . .” she began, but stopped.
“It is dangerous,” Nagoya agreed. “But the pod is designed to be jettisoned. We don’t know what the reaction from the Shadow will be or if there will even be a reaction.”
“And if there isn’t?”
“Then we send the submersible into the gate itself. We’re hoping by just approaching the graveyard and using the pod to send out the frequency we’ve determined that we will draw some sort of reaction, but the crew will have a chance to escape. The odds are much lower if they have to go into the gate.”
“ And Russia?”
“Kolkov says he is working on a plan to insert their pod. That is phase two.”
*****
Deepflight III passed through nine thousand meters. It was descending into the center of the Marianas Trench, radar making sure they were clear of walls on either side. Gann and Murphy were focused on navigation, insuring that everything was functioning correctly. With the outside pressure at seven tons per square inch, the slightest malfunction could be fatal.
“Depth to bottom?” Gann asked.
“Two thousand, one hundred thirty-three meters,” Murphy replied.
“Right on target.”
*****
“There,” Ahana was pointing at her computer screen. The solid black triangle marking the Devil’s Triangle
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