The submarine Seaview descended on a horizontal level in the deep sea of the Pacific Ocean. Admiral Harriman Nelson sat in his remote paneled office,writing in his diary.
"This experimental bell is only a routine procedure. To send it down as far as it can go below our own crush depth. A relatively safe procedure with no one aboard. Relatively safe. Still, there is a vague feeling aching inside of me..."
In the wide, spacious missile room, Chief Francis Sharkey, holding a clipboard and pen, was finishing an analysis of a rounded but square topped diving bell. He nodded and walked over to the winch where Captain Lee Crane secured the final check of the huge, rope like attachment to the bell. Crewman Kowalski was behind the winch, at the rectangular controls.
"That's it, sir. The bell's in tip top shape. And that comes from me personally," Sharkey nodded in his usual optimistic way.
From over the winch, Kowalski laughed, "And that comes from an expert, huh, Chief?"
"Kowalski, do you want to mop the crew's quarters?"
"No sir, sorry, chief."
"Well then, behave yourself in front of superior officers."
"Yes sir."
Seaview leveled off in a dark, dank spot of water. Beneath her lay a solid sheet of rock ending in a cliff. Although it was mid day and bright on the surface, no one here could tell. It was another world in this spot. Commander Chip Morton, one of the only blonde men aboard, was in the elongated Seaview master control room. He thumbed a mike at the front chart table, "Lee, we've reached the lowest possible point we can go."
"Very well, Chip. All stop."
"Full stop on the planes," Chip repeated.
Crane turned to Sharkey, "Carry on, chief."
Before Crane could leave, Sharkey stopped him with, "Ahh, sir? I know the Admiral doesn't like all this military hogwash we've been up to lately and I was..."
Nelson emerged through the door, "No, no, chief, I don't like all this military stuff we've been doing..."
"Oh, sorry, sir."
Nelson absently said, "Oh, oh, ahh, it's all right, chief." He was seemingly in thought over something else but snapped his mind out of it, "What's, ahh, what's on your mind?"
"Wouldn't you like for me to go down in the bell?"
"No, chief," Nelson smiled, "That's the, the whole point to the test."
"We send the bell down as low as we can until, until it implodes or shows some sign of weakness," Crane said, more enthused than Nelson.
Nelson nods downward, "Yes, you see Dr. Braddock, as mad as he became from his own experiments-had the gas-air mixture almost right. I've just added an element of my own to cancel out any harmful side effects on the descent or the ascent."
"...that, combined with Archer's process and a new metallic substance on the hull will allow the bell and eventually Seaview to go beyond even her present limits," Crane added.
"So that's the reason you don't want it manned," Sharkey frowned at himself, "What a dummy I am."
Nelson smiled briefly, "Don't worry about it chief. It is a bit unusual and not commonly done. What's our depth, Lee?"
"About 40, 000 feet."
"The greatest depth gone by any sub," Nelson boasted, "And we may soon be able to go even deeper."
Crane couldn't delay any longer, "Okay, launch bell."
Kowalski opened the outer doors. The bell was hoisted into the airlock which was filled with water before those doors opened. Kowalski began to lower the bell using the controls on the stand near the winch. Nelson and Crane stood before a computer on the missile room wall opposite the winch.
Nelson began to take numbers down onto a clipboard he picked up from its panel hook. He checked the wall dials which gave him depth, pressure, any leakage, atmospheric conditions and a number of important scientific measurements, all of which slowly changed in amounts. Crane, watching him, impatiently, moved up on his heels a bit, "How's it going?"
"Fine so far," Nelson said, "All readings are stable - for this depth. I'm going to allow the bell to go to maximum depth."
The little white colored bell sank slowly into the sea, finally reaching past the rocky ground. Chip Morton called, "Admiral, the bell is near to the crevice."
Kowalski looked at the Admiral, "Sir, should I stop it?"
"No," he answered absently, "No, Kowalski. I want it to go to maximum depth. Let's see what she can really do." He squinted his eyes as he put emphasis on the word "really".
"Aye, aye."
The bell moved down into the crevice. Chip, in control, turned to crewman Patterson who sat at the radar, "Do you pick up anything in its way?"
"That low is difficult to tell."
"But..."
"But, no, I don't," Patterson told the straight faced Morton.
The bell continued on its downward trip. No one was inside to see the sights of an unpopulated world. Large, giant and glowing fish swam by the protective windows.
Two men, one in dinner coat, slacks and wearing a tie; the other in an olive green sweatshirt and pants tumbled from out of a crystal-like swirl of nothingness and landed in a heap on the floor of the bell.
In 1968, two American scientists were lost in the swirling maze of past and future ages on America's most secret project-the time tunnel. Tony Newman and Doug Phillips now tumble helplessly into the bell-unaware it is a tumble which end in their deaths unless...
Nelson glanced at a meter a second time, "Something just upset the weight of the bell."
"What?" Crane looked from Kowalski back to Nelson, "What do you mean?"
"A weight about three hundred sixty four pounds has just registered on the bell. Its heavier now than it should be."
In the bell, Tony and Doug collected themselves, standing up. Doug straightened his checkered jacket, "What's this? A bathysphere?"
Tony looked out the large rounded window, "Undersea-in a cliff of some kind."
"What's troubling me is the reason no one's home," Doug pondered, "Why isn't it manned?"
"You think we're in danger again?"
"I'd bet on it," Doug snapped, "Do you see any kind of...oh here it is - a radio." He picked up a mike from a smallish but central square shaped panel off to his left.
Patterson called out too late, "Mister Morton, sir, a boulder just under..."
Tony fell into Doug as the bell hit a jagged, protruding boulder. Doug, trying to call, flew toward the second window and saw a giant eel swimming off, away from the bell. The boulder was sticking out of the cliff wall.
Nelson snapped, "Stop! Stop, Kowalski."
The device did stop, just against the boulder, scrapping slightly. Tony recovered but looked up at the sound of creaking metal, "Doug, are we...is this thing cracking up?"
"Sounds like it," Doug thumbed the mike, "Hello, can you hear me? Hello?"
Nelson looked at the meters, "Correct coarse and begin descent again." He saw a puzzled look on Kowalski's face. "Kowalski?"
Sharkey shrugged when Nelson put a look to him. He asked, "Ski, what is it?"
Wearing his headset, Kowalski listened intently, "Not sure, chief, I thought I heard a voice."
Sharkey frowned, "Ski, no one can be down there."
"Yeah, yeah, I know but I thought..."
Crane moved over to Kowalski, "Let me listen." He took the set from Ski and moved one piece to his ear.
Doug said, "It's no good, Tony. That hit must have done something to this radio."
Tony listened cautiously as the creaking continued. The bell shook a bit more. Tony looked at the mike set up and saw something loose. He turned the screw to the mike's base, "Try it again."
In the missile room, Nelson checked another readout, "I can't make this out.
Why would..." his eyes caught another gauge, "No. The bell's outer hull has cracked somewhat. Obviously not built for taking hard jolts. Let's see how much further it can go before implosion."
Sharkey went over to Nelson, "But that extra weight...?"
"It may be some piece of the rock is caught on the bell's exterior or maybe tangled in the line."
Crane, listening, shook his head, "No. No, there's nothing there."
"Very well, then lower the bell," Nelson said annoyed a bit and waving his hand and arm at them.
"Aye, aye," Kowalski turned the switch down.
Crane was still listening to the headset. Doug stopped sending, "Still no use. Too much distortion."
Tony looked out the viewport and saw the rock wall which appeared to slide upward, "Hey, we're moving again." He turned quickly at Doug, "Down."
Doug looked around and found a small door. He opened it and took out another mike. "Some kind of storage...hey, you feel the pressure?"
"A little, not much to bother about but we must be very deep." Tony was right. The window showed only the bell's dull lights lighting up the sea around them. The water was getting darker and darker, almost black. Suddenly, a small crack popped in the ceiling. Water began to leak in. Tony looked at it, "Doug, hurry. We've sprung a leak!"
Doug called, having attached a new mike, "Mayday, mayday. Bell to sub, bell to sub. We need help. Bring us up quick!"
Crane yelled, "Kowalski, hold it! Bring her up!"
"What is it, Lee?" Nelson moved closer to him.
"Someone is in the bell! It's impossible but..."
"Bring them up-the water is starting to flood the inner compartment,"
Nelson ran back to the gauge and double checked, next to a startled Sharkey.
"Admiral, how can anyone get aboard the bell, thousands of..."
"Later...!"
Sharkey realized the danger, "Crank it, Ski!"
Crane countermanded him, "No, no! The speed may flood it faster. Medium speed all the way up."
The water came into the bell in a small spurt. It wasn't too bad for now. Tony and Doug moved away from it. Doug kept calling, "We need help!"
Tony looked up, out the window, "Doug, I think, I think we're going up now!"
Crane's voice filled the tiny bell, "Sit tight whoever you are. We're hoisting you up now. Just be prepared for a lot of questions."
Both relaxed some. Doug puffed, "Questions we've heard before."
"How do we explain this one though, landing in an empty test bell. That tunnel must have a mind of its own, finding this bell here."
The bell was going up but it felt very slow. The darkness decreased but the water inside increased. Soon it was up to Tony and Doug's waists. Doug shivered as he called, "Come in. Come in. Can't you get us above any faster?"
Crane thumbed the mike on the wall, "We're trying but the rip may open wider. How does it look from down there?"
Doug laughed, "Not like a sauna bath. It's a slow leak but the water's filling this thing up pretty fast."
Crane turned to Kowalski, "Kowalski, bring it up a bit faster. You down there, listen. I'm increasing the speed some. Let me know how it looks."
The bell cut upward through the sea. Doug called, "It's not much worse. A bit more water though."
Crane called, "I'll take a chance. You'll be up here soon."
"Good, because it's almost up to our chests."
Tony tried to sit still, chattering from the intense cold, "Almost?"
The bell continued. Nelson whispered, "There's no way we can get them up without them getting the bends."
Crane hit the control on the mike, "Doc?"
The wrinkled face of the Doctor of Seaview somehow looked young at the same time, "Yes, captain?"
"Get down to the missile room on the double."
"Right away," Doc put down a medical log and grabbed a kit.
The bell approached the much larger Seaview. Inside, water sprang in faster-over Tony and Doug's heads. Tony yelled, "I see the sub! We're almost there!"
"We'd better be," Doug called over the noise of the water rushing in.
Sharkey paced back and forth, "Come on, Kowalski. Get that airlock clean!"
"I'm doing that, chief."
Nelson stopped Sharkey in mid pace with his arm, "Take it easy, Francis." He smiled. Sharkey frowned a look to him, using his first name like that embarrassed Sharkey. Mostly only Nelson knew his first name. He hoped Kowalski wouldn't hear.
Kowalski was too busy. He hit the door control and the two huge rectangular doors flung upward from the floor, "Here they come!"
The bell rose up and swung over the doors to lower down and settle on the floor. The two doors closed while Nelson, Crane, and Sharkey raced to the door of the bell. Doc came in through the missile room doors and rushed to the bell with Kowalski. Crane looked, "We'll have to pipe it..."
"No time!" Nelson, ever unorthodox gasped, "They're drowning!" It was true.
Doug and Tony were totally submerged. Nelson opened the door and a flood of water spilled out, "Watch it!" It dragged Tony and Doug with it. Tony held onto the metal pole in the center
of the bell but Doug landed feet first at the exit. Doc ran up to them,
helping Doug up. Crane and Sharkey jumped into the bell itself and helped Tony out. Both were very tired. Doc sat Doug down on a crate, "Let's get them to sickbay."
"I'll get a stretcher," Ski snorted.
"It's all right. I can walk."
"Me too," Tony puffed, sitting on one of the pipe-like device that lined the walls.
Much later in sickbay, Doug and Tony were both on bunks. Crane moved over to Doc, "Doc?"
"I can't understand it, Lee but no sign of the bends at all. Impossible at the depths they were at. But they're fine, only tired. I was most worried about the cold but they are both in good shape and that's helped. Frost bite will soon be cleared up. You'd better talk to them about who they are. I'm convinced they're mad."
Crane stared at him, finally turned to the other two and going up to their bunks, "You're clothes will be dry soon. Perhaps, ahh, you can tell me what you were doing in that bell?"
Tony nodded, "Okay, straight, this is it-in 1968 we were lost on an experiment in time. My own fault, for I jumped into the time tunnel before it was perfected."
"Time tunnel?"
"Tony," Doug sat up, "You mustn't blame yourself. Captain, it is true. How else can we have been in the bell?"
"I don't know," Crane turned his head, "Spies?"
Tony smiled, "That's foolish and you know it. As spies why would we endanger ourselves?"
"You've seen this sub. You're aboard it now."
"We were almost killed," snapped Tony.
"Now look, I want the truth!"
"Stow it, Lee," Nelson walked in fast. Doc listened. "I've just had a talk with a retired General Woody Kirk. He told me this is true. These two are from 1968."
"Did he say if we're saved," Doug asked, "I mean brought back from time?"
"You are and he did. But not for a long...time did they manage to return you to 68. Right now in this year of 1988...you both have families. But you're in for dozens of such time trips."
"Admiral, time travelers? Dressed like they were?" Crane was still not convinced.
"Lee, believe me, I still don't grasp all of it either," Nelson admitted, "One thing Kirk did tell me was not to reveal too much to either of you. It may change what happened or even prevent you from being found. Time would rechange."
Doug bit his lip, "I understand. Our knowledge of what did happen could change it when it does happen."
Crane rubbed the back of his neck, "I'll stick to travelling in the oceans. It's less confusing."
Everyone laughed, relieving the tension. Main radio controller Spark's voice filled the sickbay loud and clear, "Admiral, urgent message from Admirals Parks and Johnson."
Tony smiled, "Is that like Masters and Johnson?"
Nelson ignored him, "Sparks, put them on the scrambler. I'll be right down."
Nelson was looking at Parks and Johnson in no time flat. Both were on the big viewscreen communicator in the Control Room and both looked very worried. Parks was explaining why.
"Admiral, a few hours ago, while you were deep in research, I saw a whole fleet of submarines vanish before me."
"What? How?"
"All I know is that a great white cloud swooped in over the Red Sea and then there was no Red Sea, no basin, no fleet..."
"You mean...nothing was there."
"You can see nothing...nothing but whiteness."
Johnson, gray haired and a bit more sedate, interjected, "Harry, I don't know what this means but we've just received word that the fog is moving in on New York City." Crane came up next to Nelson, joining him as he entered the control room and they both watched the two men. Sharkey's attention moved from the clear map he was monitoring to the screen. Johnson was going on, "..we've gotten most of the people out on false pretenses but we've had to avoid a panic. An avoidance which nearly didn't take place. Harry, there are still others there. We need help."
"Lee, I'll fly ahead in Flying Sub One, you take Seaview there at flank speed," Nelson said quickly.
"Alone?" Crane worried now.
"Ah, ahh, alone," Nelson stammered as if this was not unusual and Crane shouldn't have asked. He ran for his black leather jacket in the nose closet.
Sharkey was already there with his own leather jacket on, "I'm going with you, sir. You could order me not to..."
Nelson eyed him, "Uhmmm, uh-uh. Let's go."
Sharkey smiled at Crane who winked at him to take care of the Admiral. They two ran to the far forward nose near the Flying Sub bay. They descended the stairwell and closed the hatch. Crane picked up a mike at the far forward table, "Launch Flying Sub One."
Nelson and Sharkey buckled in, quickly checking all the instruments. "That will have to do. I want to get out there fast."
Soon, the yellow Flying Sub pulled down and sailed out of Seaview's bottom nose. Chip and Lee watched from the interior of Seaviews's glass windows as it careened up past the nose, leaving a trail of bubbles in its wake. Crane went to the screen, "Don't worry Admirals. Admiral Nelson's on his way to the area now."
Flying Sub One launched up out of the sea surface into a bright, sunny, blue sky. The clouds were normal cumulous. Sharkey looked about, "Looks like a normal day to me."
"Yes," Nelson nodded suspicious anyway. The Flying Sub shot through the sky. Nelson and Sharkey braced themselves for a shock. A giant cloud forming like a white cotton ball, spreading out over New York's skyline. It slid out a million white tentacles toward the skyscrapers. The Flying Sub headed closer. "Sir!"
The buildings, touched by the blinding, yet cool whiteness, vanished. The two men were both caught up in watching this. "Admiral, lookout!"
Suddenly, a giant white band came across the window, ready to touch the Flying Sub and cause it to vanish also!