The tube began to slow, its once-invisible hum becoming more noticeable as it prepared for arrival. The attendant's voice cut through the air, calm and professional:
"Attention, passengers. We have reached our destination. Please gather your belongings and prepare to disembark. Thank you for traveling with us."
Watts placed his novel back on the table and leaned forward, looking out of the transparent window.
What he saw brought a flicker of surprise, a rare break in his usually composed demeanor.
Beyond the tube was an immense force field unlike anything he had ever encountered. It stood as a colossal barrier against the ocean's relentless pressure, curving in every direction as far as his enhanced vision could see.
The water didn't penetrate the field; instead, it flowed around it, deflecting like a river around a boulder.
The effect was mesmerizing—an endless cascade of ocean currents parting seamlessly at the boundary.
