Kurt’s eyebrows went up. “What makes you think this is my fault?”
“Because it always is,” Joe said.
The crewman shifted his weight nervously, then mumbled, “The cap’n said don’t be late.”
Kurt nodded and began moving forward. “I told you the cold beer was a bad sign.”
He stepped inside.
Joe followed. “At least we’re on our own ship,” he said. “They can’t make us walk the plank on our own ship… right?”
The door closed behind them, and Kurt guessed they were about to find out.
MINUTES LATER, Kurt, Joe, and Captain Haynes satin chairs around a small conference table. Like everything else on a ship the size of the Argo, this ready room was compact and efficient. But with seven men piled inside, including two high-ranking representatives of the Portuguese Navy and the governor of the Azores Islands chain, it felt a little claustrophobic.
Captain Haynes turned their way.
“Gentlemen, this is Rear Admiral Alexandre Sienna of the Portuguese Navy. He’s been put in charge of this discovery.”
Hands were shook, pleasantries exchanged, and then Admiral Sienna got down to it.
“My government believes you men have found something of great scientific importance,” the admiral began. “For this, Portugal thanks you.”
Reversal number three, Kurt thought. And probably all for nothing.
“Without samples, we don’t know what’s been found,” Kurt began. “But it’s probably just a massive chunk of magnetized iron alloy. I’ll admit, it’s a lot of specialized rock in one place, but this is an old volcano. It might be unusual, but—”
“I promise you, Señor Austin, this is more than unusual,” the admiral said. “Perhaps you have seen the aircraft flying overhead, several times a day?”
Kurt recalled the flybys; Portu
guese P-3 Orions. He’d assumed they were keeping an eye on the Argo and the other vessels, as if a few naval personnel from the Forte de São Brás coming on board hadn’t been enough.
The admiral continued. “We have been using sophisticated instruments to study the magnetism. What we have learned so far will astound you. The magnetic force in this area is in constant flux. At one point, it would be enough to lift several hundred tons; an hour later, it’s barely stronger than the standard background level of the earth’s magnetism. And yet several hours further on, the field is more powerful than ever.”
That did astound Kurt, and perhaps it explained why maneuvering around the tower of volcanic rock was so tricky. And yet, from what he knew, ferrous, or iron-based, magnetism did not fluctuate much. That was why stones could be mined, put to use as magnets, and allowed to sit. Some magnets risked demagnetization, but certainly nothing like what the admiral was describing.
“What are you suggesting?” Kurt asked.
“We will have to study the properties to be sure,” the admiral said. “But my scientists tell me you may have discovered a naturally occurring ”—he paused as if looking for the right word—“conductive material. And that under specific geological conditions, perhaps related to underground magma movements or even fluctuations in the earth’s magnetic field, this tower of rock and metal becomes vigorously charged. As such, it exerts incredible magnetic force on objects around it.”
“Vigorous,” Joe added. “I like that. It all but pulled us in during one of those vigorous fluctuations.”
“Yes,” the admiral said. “That seems to be what it does. The experts we have spoken with think this magnetic structure may have pulled in all the ships and other objects you see resting in that caldera.”
Kurt’s eyes went wide. He felt as if they were rapidly entering UFO and Amelia Earhart territory.
“Are you kidding me?” he said. “We made it out of there towing the XP-4 along with us. I saw cargo ships down there, and at least two aircraft. You’re telling me you think this thing drew them in like some kind of siren from Greek mythology?”
The admiral looked shocked by Kurt’s boldness. Captain Haynes looked just as appalled.
Joe leaned over. “Remember the plank,” he whispered. “Walking it. Swimming with los tiburones.”
Kurt took a breath. “My apologies, Admiral. It’s just that this is something of great scientific interest, and, from the looks of things, it’s being turned into an amusement park. We should research it. At least, someone should, even if it’s not us. But it gets a lot harder to do any real science when the claims get so astronomical.”
“Yes,” the admiral said, looking disappointed. “Perhaps you are right, but, I assure you, the electromagnetic forces we have already measured are, in fact… astronomical.”
Kurt felt as if the admiral was waiting for him, maybe even baiting him, but he couldn’t help but bite. “What are you getting at?”