Sphere (深海圆疑) 原版小说-第41部分

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〃Can　you　see　who　it　is？〃　Beth　said。
〃No。〃　The　lights　were　shining　directly　in　his　face。　Norman　climbed　up　one　of　the　heavy　supporting　stanchions　that　anchored　the　habitat　to　the　bottom。　The　metal　surface　was　covered　with　a　slippery　brown　algae。　His　boots　kept　sliding　off　the　pipes　until　finally　he　saw　that　there　were　built…in　indented　footholds。　Then　he　climbed　easily。
Now　the　feet　of　the　body　were　swinging　just　above　his　head。　Norman　climbed　another　step；　and　one　of　the　boots　caught　in　the　loop　of　the　air　hose　that　ran　from　his　tank　pack　to　his　helmet。　He　reached　behind　his　helmet；　trying　to　free　himself　from　the　body。　The　body　shivered；　and　for　an　awful　moment　he　thought　it　was　still　alive。　Then　the　boot　came　free　in　his　hand；　and　a　naked　foot…gray　flesh；　purple　toenails…kicked　his　faceplate。　A　moment　of　nausea　quickly　passed：　＇＇200＇＇　Norman　had　seen　too　many　airplane　crashes　to　be　bothered　by　this。　He　dropped　the　boot；　watched　it　drift　down　to　Beth。　He　tugged　on　the　leg　of　the　corpse。　He　felt　a　mushy　softness　to　the　leg；　and　the　body　came　free；　it　gently　drifted　down。　He　grabbed　the　shoulder；　again　feeling　softness。　He　turned　the　body　so　he　could　see　the　face。
〃It's　Levy。〃
Her　helmet　was　filled　with　water；　behind　the　faceplate　he　saw　staring　eyes；　open　mouth；　an　expression　of　horror。
〃I　got　her；〃　Beth　said；　pulling　the　body　down。　Then　she　said；　〃Jesus。〃
Norman　climbed　back　down　the　stanchion。　Beth　was　moving　the　body　away　from　the　habitat；　into　the　lighted　area　beyond。
〃She's　all　soft。　It's　like　every　bone　in　her　body　was　broken。〃
〃I　know。〃　He　moved　out　into　the　light；　joined　her。　He　felt　a　strange　detachment；　a　coldness　and　a　remove。　He　had　known　this　woman；　she　had　been　alive　just　a　short　time　before；　now　she　was　dead。　But　it　was　as　if　he　were　viewing　it　all　from　a　great　distance。
He　turned　Levy's　body　over。　On　the　left　side　was　a　long　tear　in　the　fabric　of　the　suit。　He　had　a　glimpse　of　red　mangled　flesh。　Norman　bent　to　inspect　it。　〃An　accident？〃
〃I　don't　think　so；〃　Beth　said。
〃Here。　Hold　her。〃　Norman　lifted　up　the　edges　of　suit　fabric。　Several　separate　tears　met　at　a　central　point。　〃It's　actually　torn　in　a　star　pattern；〃　he　said。　〃You　see？〃
She　stepped　back。　〃I　see；　yes。〃　
〃What　would　cause　that；　Beth？〃
〃I　don't…I'm　not　sure。〃
Beth　stepped　farther　back。　Norman　was　looking　into　the　tear；　at　the　body　beneath　the　suit。　〃The　flesh　is　macerated。〃
〃Macerated？〃
〃Chewed。〃
〃Jesus。〃
Yes；　definitely　chewed；　he　thought；　probing　inside　the　tear。　The　wound　was　peculiar：　there　were　fine；　jagged　serrations　in　＇＇201＇＇　the　flesh。　Thin　pale…red　trickles　of　blood　drifted　up　past　his　faceplate。
〃Let's　go　back；〃　Beth　said。
〃Just　hang　on。〃　Norman　squeezed　the　body　at　legs；　hips；　shoulders。　Everywhere　it　was　soft；　like　a　sponge。　The　body　had　been　somehow　almost　entirely　crushed。　He　could　feel　the　leg　bones；　broken　in　many　places。　What　could　have　done　that？　He　went　back　to　the　wound。
〃I　don't　like　it　out　here；〃　Beth　said；　tense。
〃Just　a　second。〃
At　first　inspection；　he　had　thought　Levy's　wound　represented　some　sort　of　bite；　but　now　he　wasn't　sure。　〃Her　skin；〃　Norman　said。　〃It's　like　a　rough　file　has　gone　over　it…〃
He　jerked　his　head　back；　startled；　as　something　small　and　white　drifted　past　his　faceplate。　His　heart　pounded　at　the　thought　that　it　was　a　jellyfish…but　then　he　saw　it　was　perfectly　round　and　almost　opaque。　It　was　about　the　size　of　a　golf　ball。　It　drifted　past　him。
He　looked　around。　There　were　thin　streaks　of　mucus　in　the　water。　And　many　white　spheres。
〃What're　these；　Beth？〃
〃Eggs。〃　Over　the　inter；　he　heard　her　take　deep　slow　breaths。　〃Let's　get　out　of　here；　Norman。　Please。〃
〃Just　another　second。〃
〃No；　Norman。　Now。〃
On　the　radio；　they　heard　an　alarm。　Distant　and　tinny；　it　seemed　to　be　transmitted　from　inside　the　habitat。　They　heard　voices；　and　then　Barnes's　voice；　very　loud。　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing　out　there？〃
〃We　found　Levy；　Hal；〃　Norman　said。
〃Well；　get　back　on　the　double；　damn　it；〃　Barnes　said。　〃The　sensors　have　activated。　You're　not　alone　out　there…and　whatever's　with　you　is　very　damn　big。〃


Norman　felt　dull　and　slow。　〃What　about　levy's　body？〃
〃Drop　the　body。　Get　back　here！〃
But　the　body；　he　thought　sluggishly。　They　had　to　do　＇＇202＇＇　something　with　the　body。　He　couldn't　just　leave　the　body。
〃What's　the　matter　with　you；　Norman？〃　Barnes　said。
Norman　mumbled　something；　and　he　vaguely　felt　Beth　grab　him　strongly　by　the　arm；　lead　him　back　toward　the　habitat。　The　water　was　now　clouded　with　white　eggs。　The　alarms　were　ringing　in　his　ears。　The　sound　was　very　loud。　And　then　he　realized：　a　new　alarm。　This　alarm　was　ringing　inside　his　suit。
He　began　to　shiver。　His　teeth　chattered　uncontrollably。　He　tried　to　speak　but　bit　his　tongue；　tasted　blood。　He　felt　numb　and　stupid。　Everything　was　happening　in　slow　motion。
As　they　approached　the　habitat；　he　could　see　that　the　eggs　were　sticking　to　the　cylinders；　clinging　densely；　making　a　nubbly　white　surface。
〃Hurry！〃　Barnes　shouted。　〃Hurry！　It's　ing　this　way！〃　They　were　under　the　airlock；　and　he　began　to　feel　surging　currents　of　water。　There　was　something　very　big　out　there。　Beth　was　pushing　him　upward　and　then　his　helmet　burst　above　the　waterline　and　Fletcher　gripped　him　with　strong　arms；　and　a　moment　after　that　Beth　was　pulled　up　and　the　hatch　slammed　shut。　Somebody　took　off　his　helmet　and　he　heard　the　alarm；　shrieking　loud　in　his　ears。　By　now　his　whole　body　was　shaking　in　spasms；　thumping　on　the　deck。　They　stripped　off　his　suit　and　wrapped　him　in　a　silver　blanket　and　held　him　until　his　shivering　lessened；　then　finally　stopped。　And　abruptly；　despite　the　alarm；　he　went　to　sleep。

MILITARY　CONSIDERATIONS

〃It's　not　your　goddamned　job；　that's　why；〃　Barnes　said。　〃You　had　no　authorization　to　do　what　you　did。　None　whatsoever。〃
＇＇203＇＇　〃Levy　might　have　still　been　alive；〃　Beth　said；　calm　in　the　face　of　Barnes's　fury。
〃But　she　wasn't　alive；　and　by　going　outside　you　risked　the　lives　of　two　civilian　expedition　members　unnecessarily。〃
Norman　said；　〃It　was　my　idea；　Hal。〃　Norman　was　still　wrapped　in　blankets；　but　they　had　given　him　hot　drinks　and　made　him　rest；　and　now　he　felt　better。
〃And　you；〃　Barnes　said。　〃You're　lucky　to　be　alive。〃
〃I　guess　I　am；〃　Norman　said。　〃But　I　don't　know　what　happened。〃
〃This　is　what　happened；〃　Barnes　said；　waving　a　small　fan　in　front　of　him。　〃Your　suit　circulator　shorted　out　and　you　experienced　rapid　central　cooling　from　the　helium。　Another　couple　of　minutes　and　you　would　have　been　dead。〃
〃It　was　so　fast；〃　Norman　said。　〃I　didn't　realize…〃
〃…You　goddamn　people；〃　Barnes　said。　〃I　want　to　make　something　clear。　This　is　not　a　scientific　conference。　This　is　not　the　Underwater　Holiday　Inn；　where　you　can　do　whatever　you　please。　This　is　a　military　operation　and　you　will　damn　well　follow　military　orders。　Is　that　clear？〃
〃This　is　a　military　operation？〃　Ted　said。
〃It　is　now；〃　Barnes　said。
〃Wait　a　minute。　Was　it　always？〃
〃It　is　now。〃
〃You　haven't　answered　the　question；〃　Ted　said。　〃Because　if　it　is　a　military　operation；　I　think　we　need　to　know　that。　I　personally　do　not　wish　to　be　associated　with…〃
〃…Then　leave；〃　Beth　said。
〃…a　military　operation　that　is…〃
〃…Look；　Ted；〃　Barnes　said。　〃You　know　what　this　is　costing　the　Navy？〃
〃No；　but　I　don't　see…〃
〃…I'll　tell　you。　A　deep…placement；　saturated　gas　environment　with　full　support　runs　about　a　hundred　thousand　dollars　an　hour。　By　the　time　we　all　get　out　of　here；　the　total　project　cost　will　be　eighty　to　a　hundred　million　dollars。　You　don't　get　that　kind　of　appropriations　from　the　military　without　what　they　call　'a　serious　expectation　of　military　benefit。'　It's　that　simple。　No　expectation；　no　money。　You　following　me？〃
＇＇204＇＇　〃You　mean　like　a　weapon？〃　Beth　said。
〃Possibly；　yes；〃　Barnes　said。
〃Well；〃　Ted　said；　〃I　personally　would　never　have　joined…〃
〃…Is　that　right？　You'd　fly　all　the　way　to　Tonga　and　I'd　say；　'Ted；　there's　a　spacecraft　down　there　that　might　contain　life　from　another　galaxy；　but　it's　a　military　operation；'　and　you'd　say；　'Gosh；　sorry　to　hear　that；　count　me　out'？　Is　that　what　you'd　have　done；　Ted？〃
〃Well　。。。〃　Ted　said。
〃Then　you　better　shut　up；〃　Barnes　said。　〃Because　I've　had　it　with　your　posturing。〃
〃Hear；　hear；〃　Beth　said。
〃I　personally　feel　you're　overwrought；〃　Ted　said。
〃