第一小说网

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第43部分（第2页）

＇＇291＇＇　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　Harry　cried；　but　already　his　eyes　were　glassy　and　vacant。　He　staggered　at　the　next　impact；　fell　drunkenly　on　his　knees　to　the　floor。　〃No；〃　he　said　softly。　〃No　。。。〃

And　he　collapsed；　falling　face…down　on　the　carpet。　Immediately　the　wrenching　of　metal　stopped。　The　alarms　stopped。　Everything　became　ominously　silent；　except　for　the　soft　gurgle　of　water　from　somewhere　within　the　habitat。

Beth　moved　swiftly；　reading　one　screen　after　another。

〃Inner　off。　Peripherals　off。　Everything　off。　All　right！　No　readings！〃

Norman　ran　to　the　porthole。　The　squid　had　disappeared。　The　sea　bottom　outside　was　deserted。

〃Damage　report！〃　Beth　shouted。　〃Main　power　out！　E　Cylinder　out！　C　Cylinder　out！　B　Cylinder　。。。〃

Norman　spun；　looked　at　her。　If　B　Cyl　was　gone；　their　life　support　would　be　gone；　they　would　certainly　die。　〃B　Cylinder　holding；〃　she　said　finally。　Her　body　sagged。　〃Were　okay；　Norman。〃

Norman　collapsed　on　the　carpet；　exhausted；　suddenly　feeling　the　strain　and　tension　in　every　part　of　his　body。

It　was　over。　The　crisis　had　passed。　They　were　going　to　be　all　right；　after　all。　Norman　felt　his　body　relax。

It　was　over。

1230　HOURS

The　blood　had　stopped　flowing　from　Harrys　broken　nose　and　now　he　seemed　to　be　breathing　more　regularly；　more　easily。　Norman　lifted　the　icepack　to　look　at　the　swollen　face；　and　adjusted　the　flow　of　the　intravenous　drip　in　Harrys　arm。　Beth　had　started　the　intravenous　line　in　Harrys　hand　after　several　unsuccessful　attempts。　They　were　dripping　an　anesthetic　mixture　into　him。　Harrys　breath　smelled　sour；　like　tin。　But　otherwise　he　was　okay。　Out　cold。

The　radio　crackled。　〃Im　at　the　submarine；〃　Beth　said。　〃Going　aboard　now。〃

Norman　glanced　out　the　porthole　at　DH…7；　saw　Beth　climbing　up　into　the　dome　beside　the　sub。　She　was　going　to　press　the　〃Delay〃　button；　the　last　time　such　a　trip　would　be　necessary。　He　turned　back　to　Harry。

The　puter　didnt　have　any　information　about　the　effects　of　keeping　a　person　asleep　for　twelve　hours　straight；　but　that　was　what　they　would　have　to　do。　Either　Harry　would　make　it；　or　he　wouldnt。

Same　as　the　rest　of　us；　Norman　thought。　He　glanced　at　the　monitor　clocks。　They　showed　1230　hours；　and　counted　backward。　He　put　a　blanket　over　Harry　and　went　over　to　the　console。

The　sphere　was　still　there；　with　its　changed　pattern　of　grooves。　In　all　the　excitement　he　had　almost　forgotten　his　initial　fascination　with　the　sphere；　where　it　had　e　from；　what　it　meant。　Although　they　understood　now　what　it　meant。　What　had　Beth　called　it？　A　mental　enzyme。　An　enzyme　was　something　that　made　chemical　reactions　possible　without　actually　participating　in　them。　Our　bodies　needed　to　perform　chemical　reactions；　but　our　body　temperatures　were　too　cold　for　most　chemical　reactions　to　proceed　smoothly。　So　we　had　enzymes　to　help　the　process　along；　speed　it　up。　The　enzymes　made　it　all　possible。　And　she　had　called　the　sphere　a　mental　enzyme。

Very　clever；　he　thought。　Clever　woman。　Her　impulsiveness　＇＇293＇＇　had　turned　out　to　be　just　what　was　needed。　With　Harry　unconscious；　Beth　still　looked　beautiful；　but　Norman　was　relieved　to　find　that　his　own　features　had　returned　to　pudgy　normalcy。　He　saw　his　own　familiar　reflection　in　the　screen　as　he　stared　at　the　sphere　on　the　monitor。

That　sphere。

With　Harry　unconscious；　he　wondered　if　they　would　ever　know　exactly　what　had　happened；　exactly　what　it　had　been　like。　He　remembered　the　lights；　like　fireflies。　And　what　had　Harry　said？　Something　about　foam。　The　foam。　Norman　heard　a　whirring　sound；　and　looked　out　the　porthole。

The　sub　was　moving。

Freed　of　its　tethers；　the　yellow　minisub　glided　across　the　bottom；　its　lights　shining　on　the　ocean　floor。　Norman　pushed　the　inter　button：　〃Beth？　Beth！〃

〃Im　here；　Norman。〃

〃Whatre　you　doing？〃

〃Just　take　it　easy；　Norman。〃

〃Whatre　you　doing　in　the　sub；　Beth？〃

〃Just　a　precaution；　Norman。〃

〃Are　you　leaving？〃

She　laughed　over　the　inter。　A　light；　relaxed　laugh。　〃No；　Norman。　Just　take　it　easy。〃

〃Tell　me　what　youre　doing。〃

〃Its　a　secret。〃

〃e　on；　Beth。〃　This　was　all　he　needed；　he　thought；　to　have　Beth　crack　up　now。　He　thought　again　of　her　impulsiveness；　which　moments　before　he　had　admired。　He　did　not　admire　it　any　more。　〃Beth？〃

〃Talk　to　you　later；〃　she　said。

The　sub　turned　in　profile；　and　he　saw　red　boxes　in　its　claw　arms。　He　could　not　read　the　lettering　on　the　boxes；　but　they　looked　vaguely　familiar。　As　he　watched；　the　sub　moved　past　the　high　fin　of　the　spacecraft；　and　then　settled　to　the　bottom。　One　of　the　boxes　was　released；　plumping　softly　on　the　muddy　floor。　The　sub　started　up　again；　churning　sediment；　and　glided　forward　a　hundred　yards。　Then　it　stopped　again；　and　released　another　box。　It　continued　this　way　along　the　length　of　the　spacecraft。

＇＇294＇＇　〃Beth？〃

No　answer。　Norman　squinted　at　the　boxes。　There　was　lettering　on　them；　but　he　could　not　read　them　at　this　distance。　The　sub　had　turned　now；　and　was　ing　directly　toward　DH…8。　The　lights　shone　at　him。　It　moved　closer　and　the　sensor　alarms　went　off；　clanging　and　flashing　red　lights。　He　hated　these　alarms；　he　thought；　going　over　to　the　console；　looking　at　the　buttons。　How　the　hell　did　you　turn　them　off？　He　glanced　at　Harry；　but　Harry　remained　unconscious。

〃Beth？　Are　you　there？　You　set　off　the　damn　alarms。〃

〃Push　F8。〃