Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第7部分 (第2/7頁)

＇＇　〃Anxiety　is　one　of　my　research　interests　and　I　can　tell　you　who；　on　the　basis　of　personality　profiles；　is　likely　to　suffer　acute　anxiety　in　a　stress　situation。　But　I　can't　predict　who'll　crack　under　that　stress　and　who　won't。〃

〃Then　what　good　are　you？〃　Barnes　said　irritably。　He　sighed。　〃I'm　sorry。　Don't　you　just　want　to　interview　them；　or　give　them　some　tests？〃

〃There　aren't　any　tests；〃　Norman　said。　〃At　least；　none　that　work。〃

Barnes　sighed　again。　〃What　about　Levine？〃

〃He's　seasick。〃

〃There　isn't　any　motion　underwater；　that　won't　be　a　problem。　But　what　about　him；　personally？〃

〃I'd　be　concerned；〃　Norman　said。

〃Duly　noted。　What　about　Harry　Adams？　He's　arrogant。〃

〃Yes；〃　Norman　said。　〃But　that's　probably　desirable。〃　Studies　had　shown　that　the　people　who　were　most　successful　at　handling　pressure　were　people　others　didn't　like…individuals　who　were　described　as　arrogant；　cocksure；　irritating。

〃Maybe　so；〃　Barnes　said。　〃But　what　about　his　famous　research　paper？　Harry　was　one　of　the　biggest　supporters　of　SETI　a　few　years　back。　Now　that　we've　found　something；　he's　suddenly　very　negative。　You　remember　his　paper？〃

Norman　didn't；　and　was　about　to　say　so　when　an　ensign　came　in。　〃Captain　Barnes；　here　is　the　visual　upgrade　you　wanted。〃

〃Okay；〃　Barnes　said。　He　squinted　at　a　photograph；　put　it　down。　〃What　about　the　weather？〃

〃No　change；　sir。　Satellite　reports　are　confirming　we　have　forty…eight　plus…minus　twelve　on　site；　sir。〃

〃Hell；〃　Barnes　said。

〃Trouble？〃　Norman　asked。

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

〃Does　that　mean　you'll　cancel　going　down　there？〃

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

〃W