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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

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