JACK
(Advancing) Hang on, Ann.
THADDEUS
(Closes the door behind him, sealing off Ann, and blocking the passageway.)
You cannot help her. Best prepare for your own judgment, which is very close. (Touches the crucifix which hangs on a thin chain about his neck.)
The wicked are like the chaff which the wind drives away. The wicked shall not stand.
(Moves forward. They close in combat, and Thaddeus' greater size gives him an immediate advantage. He quickly forces Jack back, removes a cord from his robes, and loops it around Jack's neck. Meantime, cutaway shows water rising rapidly in the chamber. Ann struggles, etc. Holding Jack temporarily helpless, Thaddeus hauls him back along the corridor until he reaches the torch. Here, there is a lever in the wall. He pulls it, and a pit opens at their feet. A few rocks drop into the dark, and it is a long time before we hear them land. He drags Jack toward the edge of the pit. Jack breaks free, and the struggle rages while the water rises around Ann.
THADDEUS
For you, O God, delight not in wickedness; no evil man remains with you; the arrogant may not stand in your sight.
(The water passes Ann's waist. She is thoroughly drenched, of course, and thoroughly revealed. Outside, Jack seizes the torch and uses it to break away. The men struggle at the edge of the pit. Ann's shoulders go under, and her screams fill the chamber. Jack is down on one knee, forced relentlessly into the pit.)
THADDEUS
Ask forgiveness, Hancock. This is your last chance to save your immortal soul.
JACK You crazy son of a bitch.
THADDEUS
Then I ask pardon in your name. The Lord forgive you.
(Secure in the knowledge he has won, Thaddeus releases the pressure on Hancock's windpipe, and clutches his crucifix. The water is now cutting off Ann's screams. Jack sees his chance, and seizes the crucifix, ripping it free. He jams it into Thaddeus' groin, and the giant folds up in agony. He seizes Jack and both fall into the pit. We hear a long scream, and then we see a hand rise over the edge of the shaft. Jack climbs painfully out, unbars the door, and casts the bar aside. Theme swells as water pours out of the chamber, and he moves quickly to rescue Ann. He turns off the water, cuts her bonds, and lifts her, choking and gasping, into his arms.)
ANN
Jack, thank God you got here. He said he killed you.
JACK I think he missed. You okay?
ANN
Sure. Dragged up a few flights of stairs. Punched out a bit. Half drowned. Otherwise, I'm fine.
JACK Good. Because the evening's young.
'How long?' Carson watched the mist drift past. He pushed back in his chair, trying to look calm, dispassionate, but he was excited. Damned near ecstatic.
All gauges on the jump-status indicator had gone to a bright amber. 'Coming up on three minutes.' Hutch began to divert power to the fusion plant. 'The jump should be smooth. But buckle down anyhow.'
Systems lamps went green. The power levels of the Hazeltines were beginning to rise. Real-space mass was showing zero.
Maggie, closeted with George and Janet in the passengers' cabin, said, 'Please, God, let them be here.'
Red lamp. Unsecured hatch in one of the rear storage areas. Hutch opened it, closed it again. The light went green.
Janet said, 'This is going to be a terrible disappointment if Beta Pac is a radio star, and the analysts were wrong. They've been wrong before.'
'Two minutes,' said Hutch. The comments around her receded to background noise. Only George's voice got through. But no one really had anything new to say. They were talking to create a web of security, impose a sense of familiarity on a condition they'd experienced before but which was nevertheless potentially quite different.
They floated forward.
'One minute.'
Lights dimmed.
The real-space navigational systems, which had been in a power-saving mode, activated. The fusion plant went to ready status. External sensors came on line. Shields powered up.
Someone wished her luck.
Navigation came to life.
And, with scarcely a bump, they slid out into the dark. Stars flowered in the deeps, and she felt a brief flash of vertigo, not unusual during transition. They sailed beneath an open sky.
'I'm always glad to be out of there,' said Carson, releasing his restraints.
'Maybe not,' said Hutch. She jabbed a finger at the main navigation screen. An enormous black disk lay dead ahead. 'Everybody stay belted in, please.'
Fusion was about to ignite. She stopped it.
'What's wrong?' Maggie hadn't missed the strain in Hutch's voice.
Hutch gave them the image. 'Talk later. I'm going to throw on the brakes.'
'What is it?' George asked.
'Not sure.' She went to full mag. It looked like a world. 'That can't be right. Mass detectors show zero.' She reset, but nothing changed. 'Don't know what it is. Hold on.'
Carson stared out the forward screen. 'Son of a bitch—'
'Braking,' said Hutch softly, 'now.' She engaged the retros, didn't ease into them as she normally would, but hit them hard.
'It's just an area with no stars,' said Janet. 'Like the Void. Maybe it is the Void.'
'If it is, it's in the wrong place.'
The thing ahead reflected no light.
'Hutch?' Maggie's voice had risen a notch. 'Are we going into that thing?'
'It's getting bigger,' said George.
'It can't really be there.' Hutch's fingers moved across keys. 'Self test okay.'
'It's not a sphere,' said Carson. His beefy features had hardened, and the eager-to-please archeologist had been replaced by the old colonel. Military bearing front and center. In an odd way, it was reassuring.
'What else could it be?'
Carson was squinting at the images. 'It looks like a football' he said.
Worried sounds were coming out of the passenger cabin.
'Hang on,' said Hutch. 'We're going sharp to port.' She punched in a new set of values, maybe more thrust than they could stand, and hit the button. Again, they were thrown against the webbing.
A haze had risen before her eyes, and it was hard to talk against the push of the thrusters. 'Collision,' she said. 'Imminent.' The words hung in the frantic air.
Carson took time to breathe, steady his voice. 'How long?'
Hutch felt cold and empty. 'Seven minutes. And change.'
The object filled the sky. To their eternal credit, the three in the cabin kept their heads, and did not distract her. She even heard them trying to laugh about their situation. She opened a channel. 'You can see what's happening,' she said, speaking as though she were describing an interesting view. 'We have a problem.'
'How serious?' asked Janet. 'Is it as bad as it looks?'
Hutch hesitated. 'Yes,' she said. 'I think so.'
She eased off on the thrusters, and killed the course change. 'What are you doing?' asked Carson.
They were in free fall again. 'No point torturing everybody.'
'What do you mean?' said Maggie. 'We aren't going to give up, are we? Just like that?'
Hutch didn't respond. Didn't know how to.
