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. Grabbing his small handheld computer, he attached leads to the test points, toggled the control switch from voice to keyboard access, typed in a command.
The maintenance computer remained blank for several seconds, then read: Manual mode. Enter command. "One minute until hull degradation."
Rowan took a few seconds to think. He had to assume that all high-level commands had been frozen out by the saboteur. It was unlikely, however, that his killer would have bothered---or maybe even thought about--freezing out lowlevel commands. "Let's try 'self-test,' "Rowan said, typing in the commands. The computer started running its diagnostics procedure-which could take far longer than Rowan had left to live. He stopped it.
"Reboot from backup," he ordered.
The system hesitated, and then restarted.
"Forty seconds until hull degradation."
The maintenance computer began loading its programming from stored backups.
Rowan cursed the time that it took. He switched the computer to voice mode.
"Maintenance computer, do you hear me?"
No response.
"Maintenance computer! Wake the hell up!"
He'd done all he could. A strange thought crossed his mind. Only a few days before, he had seriously thought about killing himself. Now he was fighting desperately to survive. It was as if God was teaching him a lesson.
"Twenty seconds until hull degradation
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