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mysterious-disappearance
Rinker's sudden vanishing from the suspension chamber suggests a technology or phenomenon that enables movement beyond normal physical space or time.
1 chapter across 1 book
Between the Strokes of Night (1985)Charles Sheffield
Chapter 26
In this chapter, Peron secretly follows Captain Rinker to a restricted area of the ship where Rinker enters a sarcophagus-like suspension chamber and seemingly disappears after undergoing a mysterious procedure involving silvery filaments and sprays. Peron then investigates the controls of the suspension devices, contemplates using one himself despite uncertainty about its function and risks, and ultimately decides to activate a setting labeled 'N,' risking unknown consequences.