Atlantis Found Part 28

"If I may suggest, Admiral," said Pitt, making no attempt at impartiality, "because of NUMA's continued involvement with the chambers and their contents, it may be more efficient for Dr. O'Connell to work with Hiram Yaeger in our own computer facility."

Sandecker looked for some clue as to what was going on in Pitt's devious mind. Finding none, he shrugged. "It's your call, Doctor."

"I do believe Mr. Pitt is right. By working closely with NUMA, I can be in close communication with the expeditions."

"As you wish. I'll place Yaeger and Max at your disposal."

"Max?"

"Yaeger's latest toy," replied Pitt. "An artificial intelligence computer system that turns out visual holographic images."

Pat took a deep breath. "I'll need all the exotic technical help I can get."

"Not to worry," said Giordino with humorous detachment. "If the inscriptions prove ancient, they're probably nothing but a book of ancient recipes."

"Recipes for what?" inquired Helm.

"Goat," said Giordino moodily. "A thousand and one ways to serve goat."

14

"FORGIVE ME FOR ASKING, but are you Hiram Yaeger?" Fueled by enthusiasm, Pat had made her way through the vast computer network that covered the entire tenth floor of the NUMA building. She had heard computer wizards at the University of Pennsylvania talk in awe of the oceans data center of the National Underwater and Marine Agency. It was an established fact that the center processed and stored the most enormous amount of digital data on oceanography ever a.s.sembled under one roof.

The scruffy-looking man sitting at a horseshoe-shaped console pulled down his granny gla.s.ses and peered at the woman standing in the doorway of his sanctum sanctorum. "I'm Yaeger. You must be Dr. O'Connell. The admiral said to expect you this morning."

The brain behind this incredible display of information-gathering power hardly fit the image she had of him. For some reason, Pat had expected Yaeger to look like a cross between Bill Gates and Albert Einstein. He resembled neither. He was dressed in Levi's pants and jacket over a pure white T-s.h.i.+rt. His feet were encased in cowboy boots that looked as if they had suffered through a thousand calf-roping contests on the rodeo circuit. His hair was dark gray and long and tied back in a ponytail. His face was boyish and clean-shaven, and featured a narrow nose and gray eyes.

Pat would have also been surprised to learn that Yaeger lived in a fas.h.i.+onable residential section of Maryland, was married to a successful animal artist, and was the father of two teenage daughters who attended an expensive private school. His only hobby was collecting and restoring old, obsolete computers.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," said Pat.

"Weren't you met at the elevator and shown to my domain?"

"No, I simply wandered around until I saw somebody who didn't look like Dilbert."

Yaeger, a fan of the comic strip character by Scott Adams, laughed. "I think I'm supposed to take that as a compliment. I deeply apologize for not having someone meet and escort you."

"No bother. I took a self-guided tour. Your data empire is quite grand. Certainly nothing like the equipment I'm used to working with at the university."

"Can I get you a cup of coffee?"

"No, thank you, I'm fine," said Pat. "Shall we get to work?"

"As you wish," Yaeger replied politely.

"Do you have the photographs taken of the chamber?"

"The photo-processing lab sent them up last night. I stayed late and scanned them into Max."

"Dirk told me about Max. I'm anxious to see him in action."

Yaeger pulled up a chair next to his but didn't immediately offer it to Pat. "If you'll step around the console and stand in the middle of that open platform just in front of us, I'll demonstrate Max's unique talents."

Pat walked to the platform and stood in the center, staring back at Yaeger. As she watched, the computer whiz seemed to blur before her eyes and then vanished altogether, as she found herself surrounded by what her mind swore was some kind of nebulous enclosure. Then the walls and ceiling became more distinct and she found herself standing in an exact replica of the chamber. She had to tell herself that it was a holographic illusion, but it seemed so real, especially when the inscriptions began forming on the walls in well-defined clarity.

"This is fantastic," she murmured.

"Max has all the symbols from the photographs programmed into his memory, but although we have a monitor the size of a small movie screen, I thought it would be helpful for you to read the inscription lines in their original perspective."

"Yes, yes," Pat said, becoming excited. "Being able to study the entire text in one sweep will help enormously. Thank you, and thank Max."

"Come back and meet Max," came Yaeger's voice from behind the illusionary chamber. "Then we'll get to work."

Pat was on the verge of saying "I can't," because the chamber seemed so real. But she broke the illusion by stepping through the wall as if she were a ghost, and rejoined Yaeger behind the console.

"Max," said Yaeger, "meet Dr. Pat O'Connell."

"How do you do?" came a soft feminine voice.

Pat eyed Yaeger suspiciously. "Max is a woman."

"I programmed my own voice into the original program. But I've made any number of modifications since then and decided that I'd rather listen to a female voice than that of a male."

"She's voice-activated?"

Yaeger smiled. "Max is an artificial intelligence system. No b.u.t.tons to push. Just talk to her like you would a normal person."

Pat looked around. "Is there a microphone?"

"Six, but they're miniatures you can't see. You can stand anywhere within twenty feet."

Apprehensively, Pat said, "Max?"

On the huge monitor just beyond the platform, the face of a woman appeared. She stared at Pat in vivid color. Her eyes were topaz brown and her hair a s.h.i.+ny auburn. Her lips were spread in a smile that revealed even white teeth. Her shoulders were bare down to the tops of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, which just showed above the bottom of the monitor. "h.e.l.lo, Dr. O'Connell. I'm pleased to meet you."

"Please call me Pat."

"I shall from now on."

"She's lovely," said Pat admiringly.

"Thank you." Yaeger smiled. "Her real name is Elsie, and she's my wife."

"Do you work well together?" Pat asked facetiously.