Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第26部分 (第4/7頁)

c。

〃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。　〃That's　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；　it's　a　bad　sign。〃

〃I'm　a　psychologist。〃

〃Whatever。〃

Tina　said；　〃Our　puter　alarm　has　a　lot　of　peripheral　sensors；　Dr。　Johnson。　It　goes　off　sometimes。　There's　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　couldn't　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　couldn't　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　Barnes's　briefing；　when　he　came　back　from　sending　Edmunds's　body　to　the　surface。

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

〃I　know　you're　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