Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第26部分 (第5/7頁)

　environment。〃

Listening；　Norman　thought；　He's　writing　his　report。　Explaining　it　away　to　the　brass。

〃Right　now；〃　Barnes　was　saying；　〃I　urge　you　all　to　remain　calm。　It's　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。　There's　not　much　we　can　do　about　it。　We　just　have　to　remain　calm。　Don't　forget；　even　when　you　do　go　topside　you　can't　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。　〃That's　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　habitat's　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。　〃Where's　Levy？〃

〃Dunno；〃　Tina　said。　〃Around　here　somewhere。　Maybe　sleeping。〃

〃Nobody　could　sleep　through　that　alarm；〃　Norman　said。

〃Try　the　galley？〃

〃I　just　did。　Where's　Barnes？〃

＇＇176＇＇　〃He　went　back　to　the　ship　with　Ted。　They're　putting　more　sensors　around　the　sphere。〃

〃I　told　them　it　was　a　waste　of　time；〃　Harry　said。

〃So　nobody　knows　where　Levy　is？〃　Norman