Sphere (深海圆疑) 原版小说-第44部分

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〃I　haven't　heard；〃　Norman　said。　〃I　don't　think　so。〃
He　finished　dressing；　and　went　down　to　D　Cyl；　stepping　over　the　puddles　of　water　in　the　corridor。　Inside　D　itself；　the　furniture　was　soaked；　the　consoles　were　wet；　and　the　walls　were　covered　with　irregular　blobs　of　white　urethane　foam　where　Fletcher　had　spray…sealed　the　cracks。
Fletcher　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　the　spray　can　in　hand。　〃Not　as　pretty　as　it　was；〃　she　said。
〃Will　it　hold？〃
〃Sure；　but　I　guarantee　you：　we　can't　survive　another　one　of　those　attacks。〃
〃What　about　the　electronics。　They　working？〃
〃I　haven't　checked；　but　it　should　be　okay。　It's　all　waterproofed。〃
Norman　nodded。　〃Any　sign　of　Captain　Barnes？〃　He　looked　at　the　bloody　handprint　on　the　wall。
〃No；　sir。　No　sign　of　the　Captain　at　all。〃　Fletcher　followed　his　eyes　to　the　wall。　〃I'll　clean　the　place　up　in　a　minute；　sir。〃
〃Where's　Tina？〃　Norman　asked。
〃Resting。　In　E　Cyl。〃
Norman　nodded。　〃E　Cyl　any　drier　than　this？〃
〃Yes；〃　Fletcher　said。　〃It's　a　funny　thing。　There　was　＇＇215＇＇　nobody　in　E　Cyl　during　the　attack；　and　it　stayed　pletely　dry。〃
〃Any　word　from　Jerry？〃
〃No　contact；　sir；　no。〃
Norman　flicked　on　one　of　the　puter　consoles。
〃Jerry；　are　you　there？〃
The　screen　remained　blank。
〃Jerry？〃
He　waited　a　moment；　then　turned　the　console　off。


Tina　said；　〃look　at　it　now。〃　She　sat　up；　and　drew　the　blanket　back　to　expose　her　left　leg。
The　injury　was　much　worse　than　when　they　had　heard　her　screaming　and　had　run　through　the　habitat　and　pulled　her　up　through　the　A　Cyl　hatch。　Now；　running　diagonally　down　her　leg　was　a　series　of　saucer…shaped　welts；　the　center　of　each　puffed　and　purple。　〃It's　swollen　a　lot　in　the　last　hour；〃　Tina　said。
Norman　examined　the　injuries。　Fine　tooth…marks　ringed　swollen　areas。　〃Do　you　remember　what　it　felt　like？〃　he　said。　〃It　felt　awful；〃　Tina　said。　〃It　felt　sticky；　you　know；　like　sticky　glue　or　something。　And　then　each　one　of　these　round　places　burned。　Very　strong。〃
〃And　what　could　you　see？　Of　the　creature　itself。〃　〃Just…it　was　a　long　flat　spatula…thing。　It　looked　like　a　giant　leaf；　it　came　out　and　wrapped　around　me。〃
〃Any　color？〃
〃Sort　of　brownish。　I　couldn't　really　see。〃
He　paused　a　moment。　〃And　Captain　Barnes？〃
〃During　the　course　of　the　action；　I　was　separated　from　Captain　Barnes；　sir。　I　don't　know　what　happened　to　Captain　Barnes；　sir。〃　Tina　spoke　formally；　her　face　a　mask。　He　thought；　Let's　not　go　into　this　now。　If　you　ran　away；　it's　all　right　with　me。
〃Has　Beth　seen　this　injury；　Tina？〃
〃Yes；　sir；　she　was　here　a　few　minutes　ago。〃
〃Okay。　Just　rest　now。〃
〃Sir？〃
＇＇216＇＇　〃Yes；　Tina？〃
〃Who　will　be　making　the　report；　sir？〃
〃I　don't　know。　Let's　not　worry　about　reports　now。　Let's　just　concentrate　on　getting　through　this。〃
〃Yes；　sir。〃


As　he　approached　Beth's　lab；　he　heard　Tina's　recorded　voice　say；　〃Do　you　think　they'll　ever　get　the　sphere　open？〃
Beth　said；　〃Maybe。　I　don't　know。〃　〃It　scares　me。〃
And　then　Tina's　voice　came　again：
〃Do　you　think　they'll　ever　get　the　sphere　open？〃
〃Maybe。　I　don't　know。〃
〃It　scares　me。〃
In　the　lab；　Beth　was　hunched　over　the　console；　watching　the　tape。
〃Still　at　it；　huh？〃　Norman　said。
〃Yeah。〃
On　the　tape；　Beth　was　finishing　her　cake；　saying；　〃I　don't　think　there's　a　reason　to　be　scared。〃
〃It's　the　unknown；〃　Tina　said。
〃Sure；〃　Beth　said　onscreen；　〃but　an　unknown　thing　is　not　likely　to　be　dangerous　or　frightening。　It's　most　likely　to　be　just　inexplicable。〃
〃Famous　last　words；〃　Beth　said；　watching　herself。
〃It　sounded　good　at　the　time；〃　Norman　said。　〃To　keep　her　calmed　down。〃
Onscreen；　Beth　said　to　Tina；　〃You　afraid　of　snakes？〃
〃Snakes　don't　bother　me；〃　Tina　said。
〃Well；　I　can't　stand　snakes；〃　Beth　said。
Beth　stopped　the　tape；　turned　to　Norman。　〃Seems　like　a　long　time　ago；　doesn't　it。〃
〃I　was　just　thinking　that；〃　Norman　said。
〃Does　this　mean　we're　living　life　to　the　fullest？〃
〃I　think　it　means　we're　in　mortal　peril；〃　Norman　said。　〃Why　are　you　so　interested　in　this　tape？〃
〃Because　I　have　nothing　better　to　do；　and　if　I　don't　keep　＇＇217＇＇　busy　I'm　going　to　start　screaming　and　make　one　of　those　traditional　feminine　scenes。　You've　already　seen　me　do　it　once；　Norman。〃
〃Have　I？　I　don't　remember　any　scene。〃
〃Thank　you；〃　she　said。
Norman　noticed　a　blanket　on　a　couch　in　the　corner　of　her　lab。　And　Beth　had　unclipped　one　of　the　workbench　lamps　and　mounted　it　on　the　wall　above　the　blankets。　〃You　sleeping　here　now？〃
〃Yeah；　I　like　it　here。　Up　at　the　top　of　the　cylinder…I　feel　like　the　queen　of　the　underworld。〃　She　smiled。　〃Sort　of　like　a　tree　house　when　you　were　a　kid。　Did　you　ever　have　a　tree　house　when　you　were　a　kid？〃
〃No；〃　Norman　said；　〃I　never　did。〃
〃Neither　did　I；〃　Beth　said。　〃But　it's　what　I　imagine　it　would　be；　if　I　had。〃
〃Looks　very　cozy；　Beth。〃
〃You　think　I'm　cracking　up？〃
〃No。　I　just　said　it　looks　cozy。〃
〃You　can　tell　me　if　you　think　I'm　cracking　up。〃
〃I　think　you're　fine；　Beth。　What　about　Tina？　You've　seen　her　injury？〃
〃Yes。〃　Beth　frowned。　〃And　I've　seen　these。〃　She　gestured　to　some　white　eggs　in　a　glass　container　on　the　lab　bench。
〃More　eggs？〃
〃They　were　clinging　to　Tina's　suit　when　she　came　back　in。　Her　injury　is　consistent　with　these　eggs。　Also　the　smell：　you　remember　the　smell　when　we　pulled　her　back　in？〃
Norman　remembered　very　well。　Tina　had　smelled　strongly　of　ammonia。　It　was　almost　as　if　she'd　been　doused　in　smelling　salts。
Beth　said；　〃As　far　as　I　know；　there's　only　one　animal　that　smells　of　ammonia　that　way。　Architeuthis　sanctipauli。〃
〃Which　is？〃
〃One　of　the　species　of　giant　squid。〃
〃That's　what　attacked　us？〃
〃I　think　so；　yes。〃
She　explained　that　little　was　known　about　the　giant　squid；　because　the　only　specimens　studied　were　dead　animals　that　＇＇218＇＇　washed　ashore；　generally　in　a　state　of　advanced　decay；　and　reeking　of　ammonia。　For　most　of　human　history；　the　giant　squid　was　considered　a　mythical　sea　monster；　like　the　kraken。　But　in　1861　the　first　reliable　scientific　reports　appeared；　after　a　French　warship　managed　to　haul　in　fragments　of　one　dead　animal。　And　many　killed　whales　which　showed　scars　from　giant　suckers；　testimony　of　undersea　battles。　Whales　were　the　only　known　predator　of　the　giant　squid…the　only　animals　large　enough　to　be　predators。
〃By　now；〃　Beth　said；　〃giant　squid　have　been　observed　in　every　major　ocean　of　the　world。　There　are　at　least　three　distinct　species。　The　animals　grow　very　large　and　can　weigh　a　thousand　pounds　or　more。　The　head　is　about　twenty　feet　long；　with　a　crown　of　eight　arms。　Each　arm　is　about　ten　feet　long；　with　long　rows　of　suckers。　In　the　center　of　the　crown　is　a　mouth　with　a　sharp　beak；　like　a　parrot's　beak；　except　the　jaws　are　seven　inches　long。〃
〃Levy's　torn　suit？〃
〃Yes。〃　She　nodded。　〃The　beak　is　mounted　in　a　ring　of　muscle　so　it　can　twist　in　circles　as　it　bites。　And　the　radula…the　tongue　of　the　squid…has　a　raspy；　file…like　surface。〃
〃Tina　mentioned　something　about　a　leaf；　a　brown　leaf。〃　〃The　giant　squid　has　two　tentacles　that　extend　out　much　further　than　the　arms；　as　long　as　forty　feet。　Each　tentacle　ends　in　a　flattened　'manus'　or　'palm；'　which　looks　very　much　like　a　big　leaf。　The　manus　is　what　the　squid　really　uses　to　catch　prey。　The　suckers　on　the　manus　are　surrounded　by　a　little　hard　ring　of　chitin；　which　is　why　you　see　the　circular　toothmarks　around　the　injury。〃
Norman　said；　〃How　would　you　fight　one？〃
〃Well；〃　Beth　said；　〃in　theory；　although　giant　squid　are　very　large；　they　are　not　particularly　strong。〃
〃So　much　for　theory；〃　Norman　said。
She　nodded。　〃Of　course；　nobody　knows　how　strong　they　are；　since　a　living　specimen　has　never　been　encountered。　We　have　the　dubious　distinction　of　being　first。〃
〃But　it　can　be　killed？〃
〃I　would　think　rather　easily。　The　squid's　brain　is　located　behind　the　eye；　which　is　about　fifteen　inches　across；　the　size　＇＇219＇＇　of　a　big　dinner　plate。　If　you　directed　an　explosive　charge　into　the　animal　anywhere　in　that　area；　you　would　almost　certainly　disrupt　the　nervous　system　and　it　would　die。〃
〃Do　you　think　Barnes　killed　the　squid？〃
She　shrugged。　〃I　don't　know。〃
〃Is　there　more　than　one　in　an　area？〃
〃I　don't　know。〃
〃Will　we　see　one　again？〃
〃I　don't　know。〃

THE　VISITOR

Norman　went　downstairs　to　the　munications　center　to　see　if　he　could　talk　to　Jerry；　but　Jerry　was　not　responding。　Norman　must　have　dozed　off　in　the　console