“Yes, Captain.” Yegor pushed his own wheel forward, and Cate knew from her own homework, that the tiny bow planes, which were kept folded up against the superstructure to prevent damage while surfaced, were extended, and angled for full dive. The stern planes, close to the huge angled propeller, would also be tilting to control the boat's angle.

Cate turned from her own view screen to look past Jack, and out the front-view window. She saw the dark water begin to rush up and over the convex glass as the last bubbles were left behind.

“Dmitry, give me some external readings,” Jack said.

“Aye, Captain.” The Russian grinned into his phosphor green screen. “External temperature at seventy-five degrees. Chemical content…” he bobbed his head for a moment. “…a little high in calcium and organic material, but okay.” His head jerked back a notch. “Oh, interesting… external radiation at eighty miliseverts.”

“That’s high,” Greg said.

Cate nodded. “Yes. Normal background is about two miliseverts.”

“Dangerous?” Jack swung to look at Cate.

Cate shook her head. “No, and we should expect it the deeper we go. The Earth’s skin is a great barrier against radiation – both atmospheric from above, and deeper down, the rock gives back radiation from heavy metal impregnation. The count will probably get higher the deeper we go. Won’t be a problem as long as it’s below five hundred miliseverts.”

“Good.” Jack turned back to the curved window. “Dmitry, keep a watch on the count.”

“At forty-five feet, Captain,” Yegor intoned.

“Close vents, reduce speed.” Jack took the earphones off his head and swung in his seat. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are now at cruising speed, and steady as she goes. Take over Yegor.”

Cate grinned. “We’re underway.” She felt a little giddy excitement.

Jack unstrapped his belt. “Feel free to move around… but stay off the jogging track.” He rose, but couldn’t quite straighten in the cramped compartment. “Cate, not much to see, but want to sit up front as we head in?” He stepped aside.

“You bet.” Cate slipped out of her seat, and burrowed forward, sitting down and swiveling frontward. Jack leaned over her shoulder.

There was near complete darkness. However from time to time, small specks of light drifted past, or larger flashes pinged from out of the darkness.

“Bioluminescence,” Cate breathed.

“That’s right. This will be exactly like a deep-sea environment. The things down here will have seen no sunlight so use the bio-light to attract prey, or a mate, or even as a sign of distress.”

Cate looked down at the controls. “Does the sub... Prusalka, have any external lights?”

Greg and Abby crowded up behind them, causing Yegor to momentarily turn, his huge brows coming down like a might bushy shelf over his eyes. “Give room, please.”

“Ouch.” Cate hunched her shoulders, as bodies crushed in on her. It seemed no one was prepared to give up an inch of viewing space.