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第26部分（第2页）

〃I　dont　know！〃

Her　face　was　pale；　frightened。　Norman　pushed　past　her。　In　the　B　Cylinder；　among　all　the　pipes　and　consoles；　a　flashing　sign　winked：　〃LIFE　SUPPORT　EMERGENCY。〃　He　looked　for　Teeny　Fletcher；　but　the　big　engineer　wasnt　there。

He　hurried　back　toward　C　Cylinder；　passing　Beth　again。

〃Do　you　know？〃　Beth　shouted。

〃Its　life　support！　Wheres　Fletcher？　Wheres　Barnes？〃

〃I　dont　know！　Im　looking！〃

〃Theres　nobody　in　B！〃　he　shouted；　and　scrambled　up　the　steps　into　D　Cylinder。　Tina　and　Fletcher　were　there；　working　behind　the　puter　consoles。　The　back　panels　were　pulled　off；　exposing　wires；　banks　of　chips。　The　room　lights　were　flashing　red。

The　screens　all　flashed　〃EMERGENCY…LIFE　SUPPORT　SYSTEMS。〃

〃Whats　going　on？〃　Norman　shouted。

Fletcher　waved　a　hand　dismissingly。

〃Tell　me！〃

He　turned；　saw　Harry　sitting　in　the　corner　near　Edmundss　video　section　like　a　zombie；　with　a　pencil　and　a　pad　of　paper　on　his　knee。　He　seemed　pletely　indifferent　to　the　sirens；　the　lights　flashing　on　his　face。

〃Harry！〃

＇＇174＇＇　Harry　didnt　respond；　Norman　turned　back　to　the　two　women。

〃For　Gods　sake；　will　you　tell　me　what　it　is？〃　Norman　shouted。

And　then　the　sirens　stopped。　The　screens　went　blank。　There　was　silence；　except　for　soft　classical　music。

〃Sorry　about　that；〃　Tina　said。

〃It　was　a　false　alarm；〃　Fletcher　said。

〃Jesus　Christ；〃　Norman　said；　dropping　into　a　chair。　He　took　a　deep　breath。

〃Were　you　asleep？〃　He　nodded。

〃Sorry。　It　just　went　off　by　itself。〃

〃Jesus　Christ。〃

〃The　next　time　it　happens；　you　can　check　your　badge；〃　Fletcher　said；　pointing　to　the　badge　on　her　own　chest。　〃Thats　the　first　thing　to　do。　You　see　the　badges　are　all　normal　now。〃

〃Jesus　Christ。〃

〃Take　it　easy；　Norman；〃　Harry　said。　〃When　the　psychiatrist　goes　crazy；　its　a　bad　sign。〃

〃Im　a　psychologist。〃

〃Whatever。〃

Tina　said；　〃Our　puter　alarm　has　a　lot　of　peripheral　sensors；　Dr。　Johnson。　It　goes　off　sometimes。　Theres　not　much　we　can　do　about　it。〃

Norman　nodded；　went　into　E　Cyl　to　the　galley。　Levy　had　made　strawberry　shortcake　for　lunch；　and　nobody　had　eaten　it　because　of　the　accident　with　Edmunds。　He　was　sure　it　would　still　be　there；　but　when　he　couldnt　find　it；　he　felt　frustrated。　He　opened　cabinet　doors；　slammed　them　shut。　He　kicked　the　refrigerator　door。

Take　it　easy；　he　thought。　It　was　just　a　false　alarm。

But　he　couldnt　overe　the　feeling　that　he　was　trapped；　stuck　in　some　damned　oversized　iron　lung；　while　things　slowly　fell　apart　around　him。　The　worst　moment　had　been　Barness　briefing；　when　he　came　back　from　sending　Edmundss　body　to　the　surface。

＇＇175＇＇　Barnes　had　decided　it　was　time　to　make　a　little　speech。　Deliver　a　little　pep　talk。

〃I　know　youre　all　upset　about　Edmunds；〃　he　had　said；　〃but　what　happened　to　her　was　an　accident。　Perhaps　she　made　an　error　of　judgment　in　going　out　among　jellyfish。　Perhaps　not。　The　fact　is；　accidents　happen　under　the　best　of　circumstances；　and　the　deep　sea　is　a　particularly　unforgiving　environment。〃

Listening；　Norman　thought；　Hes　writing　his　report。　Explaining　it　away　to　the　brass。

〃Right　now；〃　Barnes　was　saying；　〃I　urge　you　all　to　remain　calm。　Its　sixteen　hours　since　the　gale　hit　topside。　We　just　sent　up　a　sensor　balloon　to　the　surface。　Before　we　could　make　readings；　the　cable　snapped；　which　suggests　that　surface　waves　are　still　thirty　feet　or　higher；　and　the　gale　is　still　in　full　force。　The　weather　satellite　estimates　were　for　a　sixty…hour　storm　on　site；　so　we　have　two　more　full　days　down　here。　Theres　not　much　we　can　do　about　it。　We　just　have　to　remain　calm。　Dont　forget；　even　when　you　do　go　topside　you　cant　throw　open　the　hatch　and　start　breathing。　You　have　to　spend　four　more　days　depressing　in　a　hyperbaric　chamber　on　the　surface。〃

That　was　the　first　Norman　had　heard　of　surface　depression。　Even　after　they　left　this　iron　lung；　they　would　have　to　sit　in　another　iron　lung　for　another　four　days？

〃I　thought　you　knew；〃　Barnes　had　said。　〃Thats　SOP　for　saturated　environments。　You　can　stay　down　here　as　long　as　you　like；　but　you　have　a　four…day　depress　when　you　go　back。　And　believe　me；　this　habitats　a　lot　nicer　than　the　depression　chamber。　So　enjoy　this　while　you　can。〃

Enjoy　this　while　you　can；　he　thought。　Jesus　Christ。　Strawberry　shortcake　would　help。　Where　the　hell　was　Levy；　anyway？

He　went　back　to　D　Cyl。　〃Wheres　Levy？〃