his forehead。 He was sinking deeper； disappearing inside the chair itself； being swallowed up by it。
〃Oh God 。。。〃
And then the chair snapped forward； pulling up tight before the control console。 And the whirring stopped。 Then nothing。
〃I think；〃 Beth said； 〃that the chair thinks you are going to fly it。〃
〃Umm；〃 Norman said； trying to control his breathing； his racing pulse； 〃I wonder how I get out？〃
The only part of his body still free were his hands。 He moved his fingers； felt a panel of buttons on the arms of the chair。 He pressed one。
The chair slid back； opened like a soft clam； released him。 Norman climbed out； and looked back at the imprint of his body； slowly disappearing as the chair whirred and adjusted itself。
Harry poked one of the leather pads experimentally； heard the gurgle。 〃Water…filled。〃
〃Makes perfect sense；〃 Barnes said。 〃Water's not pressible。 You can withstand enormous G…forces sitting in a chair like this。〃
〃And the ship itself is built to take great strains；〃 Ted said。 〃Maybe time travel is strenuous？ Structurally strenuous？〃
〃Maybe。〃 Norman was doubtful。 〃But I think Barnes is right…this is a machine that flew。〃
〃Perhaps it just looks that way；〃 Ted said。 〃After all； we know how to travel in space； but we don't know how to travel in time。 We know that space and time are really aspects of the same thing； space…time。 Perhaps you're required to fly in time just the way you fly in space。 Maybe time travel and space travel are more similar than we think now。〃
〃Aren't we forgetting something？〃 Beth said。 〃Where is everybody？ If people flew this thing in either time or space； where are they？〃
〃Probably somewhere else on the ship。〃
〃I'm not so sure；〃 Harry