My biggest challenge with the Shield is losing all micro-control of movement. Its sensors and computers adjust my buoyancy and trim, forcing me to unlearn the skills and instincts I normally follow without thinking. The suit’s top-heavy balance and a complete lack of water flow against my skin are disorienting, making me feel as if I’m inside a remote-controlled bubble. But my legs can still do the driving, assisted by thrusters, while my arms and hands handle what remote and autonomous vehicles still can’t do with human precision.
After receiving the Dante’s Shield overview this morning, we immediately prepped to train in shifts of four assigned to two SEAL instructors at a time. I’m with Sid, Jamie, and Finn.
It’s been… entertaining.
Jamie makes another attempt at using the thruster. Bursting forward, he overshoots about two yards this time. Then slowly drifts to the side. “Damn. I thought I had it that time.”
At least he’s improving.
Sid owns it. She deliberately pushes hard on the thrust to whip around in wild circles. The SEAL she’s assigned to reprimands her and threatens to pull her out of the water completely.
“It’s my learning style,” she says. “I need to get a feel for how to steer everything with my fingers. Like a video game.”
She whips around to hover closer to the SEAL. “Maybe you can give me some more one-on-one instruction topside.”
He mumbles a curse under his breath but lets her keep playing.
Finn and I have already got the hang of our suits and are just swimming around, enjoying our new toys.
“It’s time to run through the emergency features. Who’s first?” The SEAL asks.
“Me!” Sid and Jamie say at the same time.
The emergency features concern me the most. While I appreciate the redundancy they’ve built into the suits—pure genius—the emergency steps are much more complex than they are with standard gear. There’s virtually no room for failure. But in hazardous environments like the one we’re going into, there rarely is.
It’s going to be extremely dangerous in the caves.
I think of Crystal, of what I’m asking her to accept. And then Natalie. She’s already lost one father. If I die, I’m signing them up for more pain.
“Did I pass?” Sid asks the SEAL after switching to the backup rebreather loop.
“You’re still breathing, aren’t you?” The SEAL chuckles.
Sid frowns at him, then asks if she can do the next drill.
“Hey—it’s my turn, Sid,” Jamie complains.
She shrugs when Jamie frowns after the SEAL lets her do it.
Finn and I have already completed our drills.
We’re ready to go.
Finn swims up to me. “Reminds me of theAction Manscuba diver I had as a kid. Our very own version ofG.I. Joe. You have one of those?”
“Not sure.” I gesture to my head. “Amnesia, remember?”
“Right.”
We’ve scared away most of the fish, but a huge cluster of Crevalle jack swims by, and all of a sudden it looks like we’re in one of those arcade shooter games.
“I found a shitload of PlayStation games in the closet. Looks like I was a fan ofTreasures of the Deep,” I say.
“Oh, that was a good one—Jack Runyan all the way. When you play it, let me know if you get to Atlantis.”
“Yeah. I’ll do that.”
Even though I’m not sure I should, I like Finn. But it also feels like he’s playing a game. The question is, why?
