Sphere (深海圆疑) 原版小说-第36章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


〃Thank　you；　Jerry。〃
〃Sure；〃　Barnes　said。　〃You　think　he'll　really　do　it？〃
WE'LL　BE　RIGHT　BACK　AFTER　A　SHORT　BREAK　FOR　THESE　MESSAGES　FROM　OUR　SPONSOR。
And　the　screen　went　blank。
Despite　himself；　Norman　laughed。
〃Fascinating；〃　Ted　said。　〃Apparently　he's　been　picking　up　television　signals。〃
〃Can't　do　that　from　underwater。〃
〃We　can't；　but　it　looks　like　he　can。〃
Barnes　said；　〃I　know　he's　still　listening。　I　know　he　is。　Jerry；　are　you　there？〃
The　screen　was　blank。
〃Jerry？〃
Nothing　happened。　The　screen　remained　blank。
〃He's　gone。〃


〃Well；〃　Norman　said。　〃you've　just　seen　the　power　of　psychology　in　action。〃　He　couldn't　help　saying　it。　He　was　still　annoyed　with　Ted。
〃I'm　sorry；〃　Ted　began。
〃That's　all　right。〃
〃But　I　just　don't　think　that　for　a　higher　intellect；　emotions　are　really　significant。〃
〃Let's　not　go　into　this　again；〃　Beth　said。
〃The　real　point；〃　Norman　said；　〃is　that　emotions　and　intellect　are　entirely　unrelated。　They're　like　separate　partments　of　the　brain；　or　even　separate　brains；　and　they　don't　municate　with　each　other。　That's　why　intellectual　understanding　is　so　useless。〃
Ted　said；　〃Intellectual　understanding　is　useless？〃　He　sounded　horrified。
＇＇197＇＇　〃In　many　cases；　yes；〃　Norman　said。　〃If　you　read　a　book　on　how　to　ride　a　bike；　do　you　know　how　to　ride　a　bike？　No；　you　don't。　You　can　read　all　you　want；　but　you　still　have　to　go　out　and　learn　to　ride。　The　part　of　your　brain　that　learns　to　ride　is　different　from　the　part　of　your　brain　that　reads　about　it。〃
〃What　does　this　have　to　do　with　Jerry？〃　Barnes　said。　〃We　know；〃　Norman　said；　〃that　a　smart　person　is　just　as　likely　to　blunder　emotionally　as　anyone　else。　If　Jerry　is　really　an　emotional　creature…and　not　just　pretending　to　be　one…then　we　need　to　deal　with　his　emotional　side　as　well　as　his　intellectual　side。〃
〃Very　convenient　for　you；〃　Ted　said。
〃Not　really；〃　Norman　said。　〃Frankly；　I'd　be　much　happier　if　Jerry　were　just　cold；　emotionless　intellect。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because；〃　Norman　said；　〃if　Jerry　is　powerful　and　also　emotional；　it　raises　a　question。　What　happens　if　Jerry　gets　mad？〃

LEVY

The　group　broke　up。　Harry；　exhausted　by　the　sustained　effort　of　decoding；　immediately　went　off　to　sleep。　Ted　went　to　C　Cyl　to　tape　his　personal　observations　on　Jerry　for　the　book　he　was　planning　to　write。　Barnes　and　Fletcher　went　to　E　Cyl　to　plan　battle　strategy；　in　case　the　alien　decided　to　attack　them。
Tina　stayed　for　a　moment；　adjusting　the　monitors　in　her　precise；　methodical　way。　Norman　and　Beth　watched　her　work。　She　spent　a　lot　of　time　with　a　deck　of　controls　Norman　＇＇198＇＇　had　never　noticed　before。　There　was　a　series　of　gas…plasma　readout　screens；　glowing　bright　red。
〃What's　all　that？〃　Beth　said。
〃EPSA。　The　External　Perimeter　Sensor　Array。　We　have　active　and　passive　sensors　for　all　modalities…thermal；　aural；　pressure…wave…ranged　in　concentric　circles　around　the　habitat。　Captain　Barnes　wants　them　all　reset　and　activated。〃
〃Why　is　that？〃　Norman　said。　
〃I　don't　know；　sir。　His　orders。〃
The　inter　crackled。　Barnes　said：　〃Seaman　Chan　to　E　Cylinder　on　the　double。　And　shut　down　the　　line　in　here。　I　don't　want　that　Jerry　listening　to　these　plans。〃
〃Yes；　sir。〃
Beth　said；　〃Paranoid　ass。〃
Tina　collected　her　papers　and　hurried　off。
Norman　sat　with　Beth　in　silence　for　a　moment。　They　heard　the　rhythmic　thumping；　from　somewhere　in　the　habitat。　Then　another　silence；　then　they　heard　the　thumping　again。
〃What　is　that？〃　Beth　said。　〃It　sounds　like　it's　somewhere　inside　the　habitat。〃　She　went　to　the　porthole；　looked　out；　flicked　on　the　exterior　floods。　〃Uh…oh；〃　Beth　said。　Norman　looked。
Stretching　across　the　ocean　floor　was　an　elongated　shadow　which　moved　back　and　forth　with　each　thumping　impact。　The　shadow　was　so　distorted　it　took　him　a　moment　to　realize　what　he　was　seeing。　It　was　the　shadow　of　a　human　arm；　and　a　human　hand。

〃Captain　Barnes。　Are　you　there？〃
There　was　no　reply。　Norman　snapped　the　inter　switch　again。
〃Captain　Barnes；　are　you　reading？〃
Still　no　reply。
〃He's　shut　off　the　　line；〃　Beth　said。　〃He　can't　hear　you。〃
〃Do　you　think　the　person's　still　alive　out　there？〃　Norman　said。
＇＇199＇＇　〃I　don't　know。　They　might　be。〃
〃Let's　get　going；〃　Norman　said。


He　tasted　the　dry　metallic　pressed　air　inside　his　helmet　and　felt　the　numbing　cold　of　the　water　as　he　slid　through　the　floor　hatch　and　fell　in　darkness　to　the　soft　muddy　bottom。　Moments　later；　Beth　landed　just　behind　him。
〃Okay？〃　she　said。
〃Fine。〃
〃I　don't　see　any　jellyfish；〃　she　said。
〃No。　Neither　do　I。〃
They　moved　out　from　beneath　the　habitat；　turned；　and　looked　back。　The　habitat　lights　shone　harshly　into　their　eyes；　obscuring　the　outlines　of　the　cylinders　rising　above。　They　could　clearly　hear　the　rhythmic　thumping；　but　they　still　could　not　locate　the　source　of　the　sound。　They　walked　beneath　the　stanchions　to　the　far　side　of　the　habitat；　squinting　into　the　lights。
〃There；〃　Beth　said。
Ten　feet　above　them；　a　blue…suited　figure　was　wedged　in　a　light　stand　bracket。　The　body　moved　loosely　in　the　current；　the　bright…yellow　helmet　banging　intermittently　against　the　wall　of　the　habitat。
〃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　thoug