Hall lets go of the key, and sinks to the floor of Level Three.
He awakens to the view of a weather satellite photo on a CRT monitor. The caption on the monitor says:
“VIA NIMBUS 3 WEATHER SATELLITE>TIROX GRID<
WORLD METEORLOG ORG >1400 HRS GMT<
ANDROMEDA DESIG: <–“
“Congratulations,” says Stone. Karen Anson, smiling, stands next to Hall’s bedside. His laser scar on his cheek has been bandaged.
“I take it, the bomb didn’t?” asks Hall.
“No,” says Stone, “It didn’t.”
“Eight seconds to spare,” says Leavitt. “Hardly even exciting.”
“What’s happening?” asks Hall, looking at the monitor.
“The supercolony is off the coast, now moving southwest across the Pacific,” says Dutton.
“Apparently, Andromeda hasn’t turned lethal again,” says Stone. “At least there haven’t been any reports of bizarre death. We’re applying an adaptation of your ‘antidote’ to it, Mark. Cloud seeding – – we’re seeding the clouds above Andromeda with silver iodine. The raindrops will carry the organism into the ocean, and the alkaline reaction from seawater should kill it. “
“Just as acids or alkaline in the blood stopped it,” continues Dutton.
The scene changes: ocean waters under heavy cloud cover.
“This cloud seeding business, Stone,” says the Vermont Senator, “you’re absolutely sure it worked? You’d better be.”
“All reports continue to indicate that the experiment was successful, Senator,” replies Stone, at the hearing in April.
“Then we can feel confident-” begins the Vermont Senator.