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第19部分（第3页）

〃Were　trying；　Hal。〃

〃It　doesnt　look　like　youre　doing　anything。〃

From　time　to　time；　they　glanced　at　Harry；　but　Harry　just　stood　there；　looking　at　the　sphere；　his　hand　on　his　chin；　tapping　his　lower　lip　thoughtfully　with　his　finger。

〃Harry？〃

Harry　said　nothing。

Ted　went　up　and　slapped　the　sphere　with　the　flat　of　his　hand。　It　made　a　dull　sound；　but　nothing　happened。　Ted　pounded　the　sphere　with　his　fist；　then　he　winced　and　rubbed　his　hand。

〃I　dont　think　we　can　force　our　way　in。　I　think　it　has　to　let　you　in；〃　Norman　said。　Nobody　said　anything　after　that。　〃My　hand…picked；　crack　team；〃　Barnes　said；　needling　them。　〃And　all　they　can　do　is　stand　around　and　stare　at　it。〃

＇＇123＇＇　〃What　do　you　want　us　to　do；　Hal？　Nuke　it？〃

〃If　you　dont　get　it　open；　there　are　people　who　will　try　that；　eventually。〃　He　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃Meanwhile；　you　got　any　other　bright　ideas？〃

Nobody　did。

〃Okay；〃　Barnes　said。　〃Our　time　is　up。　Lets　go　back　to　the　habitat　and　get　ready　to　be　ferried　to　the　surface。〃

DEPARTURE

Norman　pulled　the　small　navy…issue　bag　from　beneath　his　bunk　in　C　Cylinder。　He　got　his　shaving　kit　from　the　bathroom；　found　his　notebook　and　his　extra　pair　of　socks；　and　zipped　the　bag　shut。

〃Im　ready。〃

〃Me；　too；〃　Ted　said。　Ted　was　unhappy；　he　didnt　want　to　leave。　〃I　guess　we　cant　delay　it　any　longer。　The　weathers　getting　worse。　Theyve　got　all　the　divers　out　from　DH…7；　and　now　theres　only　us。〃

Norman　smiled　at　the　prospect　of　being　on　the　surface　again。　I　never　thought　Id　look　forward　to　seeing　Navy　battleship　gray　on　a　ship；　but　I　do。

〃Wherere　the　others？〃　Norman　said。

〃Beths　already　packed。　I　think　shes　with　Barnes　in　munication。　Harry；　too；　I　guess。〃　Ted　plucked　at　his　jumpsuit。　〃Ill　tell　you　one　thing；　Ill　be　glad　to　see　the　last　of　this　suit。

They　left　the　sleeping　quarters；　heading　down　to　munications。　On　the　way；　they　squeezed　past　Teeny　Fletcher；　who　was　going　toward　B　Cylinder。

〃Ready　to　leave？〃　Norman　said。

〃Yes；　sir；　all　squared　away；〃　Fletcher　said；　but　her　features　were　tense；　and　she　seemed　rushed；　under　pressure。

＇＇124＇＇　〃Arent　you　going　the　wrong　way？〃　Norman　asked。

〃Just　checking　the　diesel　backups。〃

Backups？　Norman　thought。　Why　check　the　backups　now　that　they　were　leaving？

〃She　probably　left　something　on　that　she　shouldnt　have；〃　Ted　said；　shaking　his　head。

In　the　munications　console；　the　mood　was　grim。　Barnes　was　on　the　phone　with　the　surface　vessels。　〃Say　that　again；〃　he　said。　〃I　want　to　hear　whos　authorized　that。〃　He　was　frowning；　angry。

They　looked　at　Tina。　〃Hows　the　weather　on　the　surface？〃

〃Deteriorating　fast；　apparently。〃

Barnes　spun：　〃Will　you　idiots　keep　it　down？〃

Norman　dropped　his　day　bag　on　the　floor。　Beth　was　sitting　near　the　portholes；　tired；　rubbing　her　eyes。　Tina　was　turning　off　the　monitors；　one　after　another；　when　she　suddenly　stopped。

〃Look。〃

On　one　monitor；　they　saw　the　polished　sphere。　Harry　was　standing　next　to　it。

〃Whats　he　doing　there？〃