Page 44 of Treasure of the Abyss

Macy looked at him. “Do the…ghosts not tellyou?”

“Each of them speaks about something different, but it is always the same words,” he replied. “Sometimes, the Computer will give information, but we usually do not know the right things to say to make it speakfreely.”

“Was there no one around, in the beginning, who knew how to speak toit?”

“The humans. Apart from them…I do notknow.”

Macy couldn’t imagine the wealth of information hidden away downthere.

Jax dipped his chin toward the suits. “Are those the rightthings?”

“Yes. Thankyou!”

“And…you know how to make themfunction?”

“Not…really.”

“Aren’t they humantechnology?”

“Yes, but I didn’t grow up using this stuff, either.” Macy leaned forward touched the white, circular attachment on the chest of the suit. It was the size of her palm and had no visible buttons or screen. She shifted her attention to the rectangular piece on the right wrist. There were small grooves running across it lengthwise; she traced them with herfingers.

Macy and Jax both retreated as light erupted from the wrist piece. It flickered for an instant and coalesced into a glowingorb.

“There is a ghost in the suit,” Jaxwhispered.

Macy chuckled and shook her head. “Ahologram.”

“Hello!” The hologram pulsed with each syllable. “I am your system assistant and monitor, Sam. How may I be ofservice?”

“Sam, tell me about the suit,” Macysaid.

“The Tureon Personal Diving System — or PDS — is the most advanced diving suit in use today, designed and manufactured by Tureon Industries, Incorporated! Through the use of innovative energy field technology, your PDS will automatically adjust to changes in pressure, temperature, and lighting in underwater environments, ensuring your safety and comfort at alltimes.”

“It speaks like the other ghosts…using words with no meaning,” Jax’s pupils were narrowed in the light of thehologram.

“They have meaning, Jax. Maybe not to us, but theydo.”

Setting the extra equipment aside, she studied the suit spread on the ground. It was much smaller than the one on display in The Watch. This looked child-sized. “Sam, how does the PDSwork?”

“The PDS uses a patented Tureon Industries field generator — the circular piece on the chest — to create a thin but powerful energy field between the wearer’s skin and the inner layer of the suit. This field will automatically adjust to compensate for any pressure changes outside the suit up to depths of ten thousand meters. All force is absorbed by the field and dispersed harmlessly into the surrounding water. The dispersion can be used intuitively as a means of supplemental propulsion through the water. Temperature control will also adjust the field to keep the wearer’s body temperatureregulated.

“The PDS integrates fully with the included oxygenator mask. The mask filters oxygen from the surrounding water, providing the wearer with a constant stream of fresh, breathable air. The mask is also equipped with a number of popular features, including advanced sensory systems, a headlamp, and an integrated HUD including temperature and depth gauges, a rangefinder, and GPS navigation. Your PDS allows full voice-activated operation of internal systems through the mask, and will automatically interface with all other PDS systems within range for underwatercommunication.”

Macy picked up one of the masks. It was so lightweight, looked so simple, that she couldn’t imagine how it was anything more than a piece of glass. She ran her thumb along the edge and frowned. How was she even supposed to put it on, without anyfasteners?

With her other hand, she unfolded the other suit. It was the same size as the first. She turned it over and searched it, but she couldn’t find any buttons or seams in thefabric.

Jax moved around the hologram and positioned himself behind Macy, watching over hershoulder.

“Sam, does the PDS come in differentsizes?”

“No. The PDS is designed as a one-size-fits-all device for ages six andup.”

She set the mask and spare suit down and picked up the first PDS. The hologram remained in place. “Sam, can you show me how to put iton?”

“Sure!” The orb expanded and swirled, reshaping itself into a man — naked except for his underpants. His body was athletic and toned, his jaw squared, his teeth white and straight. The hologram’s eyes fell on Macy as he extended his hands and a PDS suit appeared in them. “Would you like to follow along through the process, or view ademonstration?”

“Do the…holograms amongst your people respond to what you say, Macy?” Jaxasked.

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