His right hand was locked on the throttle; one motion and the boat would be headed full-speed astern. He was willing himself not to look at the glowing hemisphere that dominated the sandy beach, instead listening for the slightest variation in the noise of the outboards. Not for the first time, he wished that the gun had been mounted before they left. While he doubted it would have any effect on the anomaly, it would be comforting to have, all the same.