Fantastic Voyage - By Isaac Asimov Page 0,46

what," said Grant.

"I'm afraid this has torn it. We don't have enough air to complete the journey. If this were an orthodox submarine, I'd say we would have to surface to renew the air supply."

"But then what do we do now?" asked Cora.

"Surface. It's all we can do. We've got to ask to be taken out right now or the ship becomes unmaneuverable in ten minutes and we strangle in five more."

He moved to the ladder. "I'll take over, Grant. You get to the transmitter and give them the news."

Grant said, "Wait. Do we have any reserve air?"

"That was it. All of it. All gone. In fact, when that air de-miniaturizes, it will be much larger in volume than Benes . It will kill him."

"No, it won't," said Michaels. "The miniaturized molecules of the air we've lost will pass right through the tissues and out into the open. Very little will be left in the body by de-miniaturization time. Still, I'm afraid Owens is right. We can't go on."

"But wait," said Grant. "Why can't we surface?"

"I've just said . . ." began Owens, impatiently.

"I don't mean be taken out of here. I mean, real surface. There. Right there. We have blood corpuscles piling up oxygen in front of our eyes. Can't we do the same? There are only two thin membranes between ourselves and an ocean of air. Let's get it."

Cora said, "Grant's right."

"No, he isn't," said Owens. "What do you think we are? We're miniaturized, with lungs the size of a bacterial fragment. The air on the other side of those membranes is unminiaturized. Each oxygen molecule in that air is almost large enough to see, damn it. Do you think we can just take them into our lungs."

Grant looked non-plussed. "But ...'

"We can't wait, Grant. You'll have to get in touch with the control-room."

Grant said, "Not yet. Didn't you say this ship was originally meant for deep-sea research? What was it supposed to do underwater?"

"We were hoping to miniaturize underwater specimens for carriage to the surface and investigation at leisure."

"Well, then, you must have miniaturization equipment on board. You didn't pull it out last night, did you?"

"Of course we have it. But only on a small scale."

"How large scale do we need it? If we lead air into the miniaturizer, we can reduce the size of the molecules an lead them into our air tanks."

"We don't have the time for that," put in Michaels.

"If time runs out, then we'll ask to be taken out. Until, then, let's try. You've got a snorkel on board I suppose, Owens."

"Yes." Owens seemed completely confused at Grant's rapid and urgent sentences.

"And we can run such a snorkel through the capillary and lung walls without harming Benes, can't we?"

"At our size, I should certainly think so," said Duval.

"All right then, we run the snorkel from lung to ship's miniaturizer and lead a tube from miniaturizer to the air-reserve chamber. Can you improvise that?"

Owens considered for a moment, seemed to catch fire at the prospect and said, "Yes, I think so."

"All right then, when Benes inhales there'll be pressure enough to fill our tanks for us. Remember that time distortion will make our few minutes grace seem longer than it is on the unminiaturized scale. Anyway, we've got to try."

Duval said, "I agree. We must try. By all means. Now!"

Grant said, "Thanks for the support, doctor."

Duval nodded, then said, "What's more, if we're going to try this, let's not try to make a one-man job out of it. Owens had better stay at the controls, but I will come out with Grant."

"Ah," said Michaels. "I was wondering what you were after. I see now. You want a chance at exploration in the open."

Duval flushed, but Grant broke in hastily, "Whatever the motive, the suggestion is good. In fact, we had better all come out. Except Owens, of course. -The snorkel is aft, I suppose."

"In the supply and storage compartment," said Owens. He was back at the controls now, staring straight ahead. "If you've ever seen a snorkel, you won't mistake it."

Grant moved hastily into the compartment, saw the snorkel at once and reached for the packaged underwater gear.

Then he stopped in horror and shouted, "Cora!"

She was behind him in a moment. "What's the matter!"

Grant tried not to explode. It was the first time he looked at the girl without an appreciative inner comment at her beauty. For the moment, he was merely agonized. He pointed and said, "Look at that!"

She looked and turned a