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第7部分（第2页）

〃Hell；〃　Barnes　said。

〃Trouble？〃　Norman　asked。

〃The　weathers　going　bad　on　us；〃　Barnes　said。　〃We　may　have　to　clear　out　our　surface　support。〃

〃Does　that　mean　youll　cancel　going　down　there？〃

〃No；〃　Barnes　said。　〃We　go　tomorrow；　as　planned。〃

〃Why　does　Harry　think　this　thing　is　not　a　spacecraft？〃　Norman　asked。

＇＇40＇＇　Barnes　frowned；　pushed　papers　on　his　desk。　〃Let　me　tell　you　something；〃　he　said。　〃Harrys　a　theoretician。　And　theories　are　just　that…theories。　I　deal　in　the　hard　facts。　The　fact　is；　weve　got　something　damn　old　and　damn　strange　down　there。　I　want　to　know　what　it　is。〃

〃But　if　its　not　an　alien　spacecraft；　what　is　it？〃

〃Lets　just　wait　until　we　get　down　there；　shall　we？〃　Barnes　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃The　second　habitat　should　be　anchored　on　the　sea　floor　by　now。　Well　begin　moving　you　down　in　fifteen　hours。　Between　now　and　then；　weve　all　got　a　lot　to　do。〃

〃Just　hold　it　there；　Dr。　Johnson。〃　Norman　stood　naked；　felt　two　metal　calipers　pinch　the　back　of　his　arms；　just　above　the　elbow。　〃Just　a　bit　。。。　thats　fine。　Now　you　can　get　into　the　tank。〃

The　young　medical　corpsman　stepped　aside；　and　Norman　climbed　the　steps　to　the　metal　tank；　which　looked　like　a　military　version　of　a　Jacuzzi。　The　tank　was　filled　to　the　top　with　water。　As　he　lowered　his　body　into　the　water；　it　spilled　over　the　sides。

〃Whats　all　this　for？〃　Norman　asked。

〃Im　sorry；　Dr。　Johnson。　If　you　would　pletely　immerse　yourself　。。。〃

〃What？〃

〃Just　for　a　moment；　sir　。。。〃

Norman　took　a　breath；　ducked　under　the　water；　came　back　up。

〃Thats　fine；　you　can　get　out　now；〃　the　corpsman　said；　handing　him　a　towel。

〃Whats　all　this　for？〃　he　asked　again；　climbing　down　the　ladder。

〃Total　body　adipose　content；〃　the　corpsman　said。　〃We　have　to　know　it；　to　calculate　your　sat　stats。〃

〃My　sat　stats？〃

〃Your　saturation　statistics。〃　The　corpsman　marked　points　on　his　clipboard。

〃Oh　dear；〃　he　said。　〃Youre　off　the　graph。〃

＇＇41＇＇　〃Why　is　that？〃

〃Do　you　get　much　exercise；　Dr。　Johnson？〃

〃Some。〃　He　was　feeling　defensive　now。　And　the　towel　was　too　small　to　wrap　around　his　waist。　Why　did　the　Navy　use　such　small　towels？

〃Do　you　drink？〃

〃Some。〃　He　was　feeling　distinctly　defensive。　No　question　about　it。

〃May　I　ask　when　you　last　consumed　an　alcoholic　beverage；　sir？〃

〃I　dont　know。　Two；　three　days　ago。〃　He　was　having　trouble　thinking　back　to　San　Diego。　It　seemed　so　far　away。　〃Why？〃

〃Thats　fine；　Dr。　Johnson。　Any　trouble　with　joints；　hips　or　knees？〃

〃No；　why？〃

〃Episodes　of　syncope；　faintness　or　blackouts？〃

〃No　。。。〃