第一小说网

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第8部分（第3页）

〃Nine　hundred　fifty　feet。　Exterior　lights　are　on；〃　the　pilot　said。

Through　the　porthole　they　saw　white　flecks。　The　pilot　explained　this　was　suspended　matter　in　the　water。

〃Visual　contact。　I　have　bottom。〃

〃Oh；　lets　see！〃　Ted　said。　The　pilot　obligingly　shifted　to　one　side　and　they　looked。

Norman　saw　a　flat；　dead；　dull…brown　plain　stretching　away　to　the　limit　of　the　lights。　Blackness　beyond。

〃Not　much　to　look　at　right　here；　Im　afraid；〃　the　pilot　said。

〃Surprisingly　dreary；〃　Ted　said；　without　a　trace　of　disappointment。　〃I　would　have　expected　more　life。〃

〃Well；　its　pretty　cold。　Water　temperature　is；　ah；　thirty…six　degrees　Fahrenheit。〃

〃Almost　freezing；〃　Ted　said。

〃Yes；　sir。　Lets　see　if　we　can　find　your　new　home。〃

The　motors　rumbled。　Muddy　sediment　churned　up　in　front　of　the　porthole。　The　sub　turned；　moved　across　the　bottom。　For　several　minutes　they　saw　only　the　brown　landscape。

Then　lights。　〃There　we　are。〃

＇＇52＇＇　A　vast　underwater　array　of　lights；　arranged　in　a　rectangular　pattern。

〃Thats　the　grid；〃　the　pilot　said。

The　submarine　planed　up；　and　glided　smoothly　over　the　illuminated　grid；　which　extended　into　the　distance　for　half　a　mile。　Through　the　porthole；　they　saw　divers　standing　on　the　bottom；　working　within　the　grid　structure。　The　divers　waved　to　the　passing　sub。　The　pilot　honked　a　toy　horn。

〃They　can　hear　that？〃

〃Oh　sure。　Waters　a　great　conductor。〃

〃My　God；〃　Ted　said。

Directly　ahead　the　giant　titanium　fin　rose　sharply　above　the　ocean　floor。　Norman　was　pletely　unprepared　for　its　dimension；　as　the　submarine　moved　to　port；　the　fin　blocked　their　entire　field　of　view　for　nearly　a　minute。　The　metal　was　dull　gray　and；　except　for　small　white　speckles　of　marine　growth；　entirely　unmarked。

〃There　isnt　any　corrosion；〃　Ted　said。

〃No；　sir；〃　the　pilot　said。　〃Everybodys　mentioned　that。　They　think　its　because　its　a　metal…plastic　alloy；　but　I　dont　think　anybody　is　quite　sure。〃

The　fin　slipped　away　to　the　stern；　the　submarine　again　turned。　Directly　ahead；　more　lights；　arranged　in　vertical　rows。　Norman　saw　a　single　cylinder　of　yellow…painted　steel；　and　bright　portholes。　Next　to　it　was　a　low　metal　dome。

〃Thats　DH…7；　the　divers　habitat；　to　port；〃　the　pilot　said。　〃Its　pretty　utilitarian。　You　guys　are　in　DH…8；　which　is　much　nicer；　believe　me。〃

He　turned　starboard；　and　after　a　momentary　blackness；　they　saw　another　set　of　lights。　ing　closer；　Norman　counted　five　different　cylinders；　some　vertical；　some　horizontal；　interconnected　in　a　plex　way。

〃There　you　are。　DH…8；　your　home　away　from　home；〃　the　pilot　said。　〃Give　me　a　minute　to　dock。〃

Metal　clanged　against　metal；　there　was　a　sharp　jolt；　and　then　the　motors　cut　off。　Silence。　Hissing　air。　The　＇＇53＇＇　pilot　scrambled　to　open　the　hatch；　and　surprisingly　cold　air　washed　down　on　them。

〃Airlocks　open；　gentlemen；〃　he　said；　stepping　aside。　Norman　looked　up　through　the　lock。　He　saw　banks　of　red　lights　above。　He　climbed　up　through　the　submarine；　and　into　a　round　steel　cylinder　approximately　eight　feet　in　diameter。　On　all　sides　there　were　handholds；　a　narrow　metal　bench；　the　glowing　heat　lamps　overhead；　though　they　didnt　seem　to　do　much　good。

Ted　climbed　up　and　sat　on　the　bench　opposite　him。　They　were　so　close　their　knees　touched。　Below　their　feet；　the　pilot　closed　the　hatch。　They　watched　the　wheel　spin。　They　heard　a　clank　as　the　submarine　disengaged；　then　the　whirr　of　motors　as　it　moved　away。

Then　nothing。

〃What　happens　now？〃　Norman　said。

〃They　pressurize　us；〃　Ted　said。　〃Switch　us　over　to　exotic…gas　atmosphere。　We　cant　breathe　air　down　here。〃

〃Why　not？〃　Norman　said。　Now　that　he　was　down　here；　staring　at　the　cold　steel　walls　of　the　cylinder；　he　wished　he　had　stayed　awake　for　the　briefing。

〃Because；〃　Ted　said；　〃the　atmosphere　of　the　Earth　is　deadly。　You　dont　realize　it；　but　oxygen　is　a　corrosive　gas。　Its　in　the　same　chemical　family　as　chlorine　and　fluorine；　and　hydrofluoric　acid　is　the　most　corrosive　acid　known。　The　same　quality　of　oxygen　that　makes　a　half…eaten　apple　turn　brown；　or　makes　iron　rust；　is　incredibly　destructive　to　the　human　body　if　exposed　to　too　much　of　it。　Oxygen　under　pressure　is　toxic