Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第7部分 (第3/7頁)

hy　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。　〃Harry's　a　theoretician。　And　theories　are　just　that…theories。　I　deal　in　the　hard　facts。　The　fact　is；　we've　got　something　damn　old　and　damn　strange　down　there。　I　want　to　know　what　it　is。〃

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

〃Let's　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。　We'll　begin　moving　you　down　in　fifteen　hours。　Between　now　and　then；　we've　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　。。。　that's　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。

〃What's　all　this　for？〃　Norman　asked。

〃I'm　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。

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

〃What's　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。　〃You're　off　the　graph。〃

＇＇41＇＇　〃Why　is　that？〃