小说园

第7部分（第3页）

〃If　you　would　just　sit　over　here；　sir。〃　The　corpsman　pointed　to　a　stool；　next　to　an　electronic　device　on　the　wall。　〃Id　really　like　some　answers；〃　Norman　said。

〃Just　stare　at　the　green　dot；　both　eyes　wide　open。　。。。〃

He　felt　a　brief　blast　of　air　on　both　eyes；　and　blinked　instinctively。　A　printed　strip　of　paper　clicked　out。　The　corpsman　tore　it　off；　glanced　at　it。

〃Thats　fine；　Dr。　Johnson。　If　you　would　e　this　way　。。。〃　〃Id　like　some　information　from　you；〃　Norman　said。　〃Id　like　to　know　whats　going　on。〃

〃I　understand；　sir；　but　I　have　to　finish　your　workup　in　time　for　your　next　briefing　at　seventeen　hundred　hours。〃

Norman　lay　on　his　back；　and　technicians　stuck　needles　in　both　arms；　and　another　in　his　leg　at　the　groin。　He　yelled　in　sudden　pain。

〃Thats　the　worst　of　it；　sir；〃　the　corpsman　said；　packing　the　syringes　in　ice。　〃If　you　will　just　press　this　cotton　against　it；　here　。。。〃

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＇＇42＇＇　There　was　a　clip　over　his　nostrils；　a　mouthpiece　between　his　teeth。

〃This　is　to　measure　your　CO2〃　the　corpsman　said。　〃Just　exhale。　Thats　right。　Big　breath；　now　exhale。　。。。〃

Norman　exhaled。　He　watched　a　rubber　diaphragm　inflate；　pushing　a　needle　up　a　scale。

〃Try　it　again；　sir。　Im　sure　you　can　do　better　than　that。〃　Norman　didnt　think　he　could；　but　he　tried　again　anyway。　Another　corpsman　entered　the　room；　with　a　sheet　of　paper　covered　with　figures。　〃Here　are　his　BCs；〃　he　said。

The　first　corpsman　frowned。　〃Has　Barnes　seen　this？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　whatd　he　say？〃

〃He　said　it　was　okay。　He　said　to　continue。〃

〃Okay；　fine。　Hes　the　boss。〃　The　first　corpsman　turned　back　to　Norman。　〃Lets　try　one　more　big　breath；　Dr。　Johnson；　if　you　would。　。。。〃

Metal　calipers　touched　his　chin　and　his　forehead。　A　tape　went　around　his　head。　Now　the　calipers　measured　from　his　ear　to　his　chin。

〃Whats　this　for？〃　Norman　said。

〃Fitting　you　with　a　helmet；　sir。〃

〃Shouldnt　I　be　trying　one　on？〃

〃This　is　the　way　we　do　it；　sir。〃

Dinner　was　macaroni　and　cheese；　burned　underneath。　Norman　pushed　it　aside　after　a　few　bites。

The　corpsman　appeared　at　his　door。　〃Time　for　the　seventeen…hundred…hours　briefing；　sir。〃

〃Im　not　going　anywhere；〃　Norman　said；　〃until　I　get　some　answers。　What　the　hell　is　all　this　youre　doing　to　me？〃

〃Routine　deepsat　workup；　sir。　Navy　regs　require　it　before　you　go　down。〃

〃And　why　am　I　off　the　graph？〃

〃Sorry；　sir？〃

〃You　said　I　was　off　the　graph。〃

〃Oh；　that。　Youre　a　bit　heavier　than　the　Navy　tables　figure　for；　sir。〃

〃Is　there　a　problem　about　my　weight？〃

〃Shouldnt　be；　no；　sir。〃

〃And　the　other　tests；　what　did　they　show？〃