Juliette's Diving Suit
Juliette’s Diving Suit was destroyed after her underwater escape; Jimmy has now found its helmet dome among the flood debris.
Story so far
Juliette adapted a complete cleaning suit for underwater work, fitting an air-hose coupler into the helmet collar and sealing it with silicone tape. Believing the airtight suit would also be watertight, she arranged a continuous air supply, a chin-operated radio switch and a collar overflow valve. The helmet’s screen, internal plastic and exterior paint were removed to allow direct sight, and it carried a flashlight. Tethered tools hung from a pocket.
The suit initially kept her warm, but a hose splice leaked and her supply of fresh air stopped. Its stiffness and buoyancy prevented her reaching the weight straps directly. As the remaining air grew stale and its buoyancy diminished, she removed the helmet, letting water flood the suit and drag her down; the tethered tools added to the burden. She ultimately destroyed the flooded suit to escape it. Jimmy has now found the plastic dome of its helmet among debris at the bottom of the stairs.
Appearance
The surviving helmet dome is plastic. Before its loss, the helmet had been stripped of its screen, inner plastic linings and exterior paint; the suit itself was cut apart after flooding.
Role
It was Juliette’s improvised underwater protection and air-supply system; the suit is destroyed, with its helmet dome recovered from the debris.
Relationships
Sources — 21 recorded facts, by chapter
- Juliette adapts a complete cleaning suit by drilling and threading a hole in its helmet collar for an air hose.
- Juliette seals the air-hose coupler with silicone tape before screwing it into the collar.
- Juliette believes the airtight suit will also be watertight and allow underwater work with a constant air supply.
- Juliette tells Lukas that she needs to test the suit.
- Juliette carries drivers tethered by string to a suit pocket.
- Juliette’s helmet has been stripped of its screen, internal plastic linings, and exterior paint so she can see through it directly.
- The diving suit has a radio switch sewn into the undersuit that Juliette operates with her chin.
- The suit and undergarments keep Juliette warm when she enters the water.
- An overflow valve in the suit’s collar releases excess air pressure.
- Juliette’s helmet carries a flashlight with a freshly charged battery expected to last a full day.
- Juliette cannot adjust the excessively loud radio inside her sealed helmet.
- A splice in the diving suit’s air hose leaks a small stream of bubbles.
- The diving suit initially retains pressure after the supply of fresh air stops.
- The suit’s stiffness and buoyancy prevent Juliette from reaching her weight straps directly.
- The air remaining in Juliette’s suit grows increasingly stale.
- Juliette’s suit loses buoyancy as its remaining air is used up.
- Removing the helmet lets water flood Juliette’s suit and pull her downward.
- Tools hanging from retention lines add weight that impedes Juliette’s escape.
- Juliette destroys the flooded diving suit to get out of it.
- Juliette’s damp undersuit smells of burning rubber from the fire.
- Jimmy finds the plastic dome of Juliette’s helmet among debris at the bottom of the stairs.