Under Pressure by Frank Herbert

Author:Frank Herbert [Herbert, Frank]
Format: epub
Publisher: Frank Herbert
Published: 2010-03-25T10:02:31.846000+00:00

"Just pray it doesn't drag us off this mountain," said Bonnett. "We couldn't take the extra 500 feet."

"How do you know?" asked Ramsey. He studied the search board.

"I feel the mountain under my feet all foggy."

Ramsey looked up. "What'd you say?"

"I feel all foggy in the head," said Bonnett. He leaned against the grab-rail. "Fall off the mountain. Hate the fog." He forced himself upright. "Not thinking straight. Take over, Mr. Ramsey. I'm . . . I'm --" He sat down on the deck, one hand above him still clinging to the rail.

An abrupt correlation interlocked in Ramsey's mind. He glanced one more time over his search board, turned away, forced himself to walk calmly across to Bonnett. He bent over the first officer, checked Bonnett's vampire gauge. CO2 diffusion .228. Above normal by .016. He dropped Bonnett's wrist, stood up and made a minute micro-meter-gauge reduction in anhydrase generation.

"What's wrong with Les?" Sparrow stood in the aft door, gaze sweeping over the control deck. He stepped through the door as Ramsey turned.

"Take it slow," said Ramsey.

"Wha --" Sparrow hesitated in mid-stride.

Ramsey bent over Bonnett, again checked his vampire gauge, compared it with the one on his own wrist. No change. Too soon. He said, "I've just formed the Ramsey Theory on why some chimpanzees died and some didn't."

Sparrow again moved forward, bent over Bonnett. "What chimpanzees?"

"The chimps Med. I put under 400 pounds with peak anhydrase. My advice is for you not to overexert, get excited, nervous, or --"

"I know about the chimps," said Sparrow. "Do you think --" He hesitated.

"Some kind of glandular upset," said Ramsey. "What's more likely than an emotional trigger, maybe coupled to physical activity?"

Sparrow nodded.

Ramsey noted the vampire-gauge needles sinking toward normal. He began massaging Bonnett's left arm. "You're okay, Les. Just relax and take it easy. The crisis is over. Take it easy . . . take it easy . . . take it easy . . ."

Bonnett's head rocked groggily.

"We have to avoid excitement," said Ramsey. "Our bodies are walking a tight wire down here. An uneasy balance."

Sparrow stood up, went to the search board. "I gave Joe a sedative. He was crying, raving. Maybe I --" He fell silent.

Bonnett opened his eyes.

"Remain calm," said Ramsey. "Do you hear me, Les?"

The first officer nodded.

"There's no danger if you relax.

"You can't force a man to relax," said Sparrow.

Ramsey reached around Bonnett's head, found the nerve line on the back of his neck, massaged it. "You're feeling better already."

Bonnett wet his lips with his tongue. "'M okay. Get back to your board."

"Breathe slow and easy," said Ramsey. He stood up.

Bonnett swallowed, spoke as though past a thickened tongue. "It was like quicksand. Feelin' better now."

Ramsey turned toward Sparrow. "He'll be okay now."

Sparrow glanced down at Bonnett. "Stay where you are Les, until you feel like getting up." He turned to Ramsey. "I've been on the eyes. The current has pulled our tow to a forty-five-degree angle across our stern. If we slack off the top towline we'll right but that might free the tow for a further shift.

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