小说园

第18部分（第2页）

Whats　going　on；　he　wondered；　but　he　was　aware　he　didnt　really　care。　He　was　too　tired。　He　was　more　interested　in　what　the　cake　would　taste　like；　and　looked　down。　The　cake　was　eaten。　Only　a　few　crumbs　remained。

Tired；　he　thought。　Very　tired。　He　put　his　feet　up　on　the　coffee　table　and　put　his　head　back　against　the　cool　padding　of　the　wall。

He　must　have　fallen　asleep　for　a　while；　because　he　awoke　disoriented；　in　darkness。　He　sat　up　and　immediately　the　lights　came　on。　He　saw　he　was　still　in　the　galley。

Barnes　had　warned　him　about　that；　the　way　the　habitat　adjusted　to　the　presence　of　people。　Apparently　the　motion　sensors　stopped　registering　you　if　you　fell　asleep；　and　automatically　shut　off　the　room　lights。　Then　when　you　awoke；　and　moved；　the　lights　came　back。　He　wondered　if　the　lights　would　stay　on　if　you　snored。　Who　had　designed　all　this？　he　wondered。　Had　the　engineers　and　designers　working　on　the　Navy　habitat　taken　snoring　into　account？　Was　there　a　snore　sensor？　More　cake。

He　got　up　and　walked　across　to　the　galley　kitchen。　Several　pieces　of　cake　were　now　missing。　Had　he　eaten　them？　He　wasnt　sure；　couldnt　remember。

〃Lot　of　videotapes；〃　Beth　said。　Norman　turned　around。

＇＇117＇＇　〃Yes；〃　Tina　said。　〃We　are　recording　everything　that　goes　on　in　this　habitat　as　well　as　the　other　ship。　Itll　be　a　lot　of　material。〃

There　was　a　monitor　mounted　just　above　his　head。　It　showed　Beth　and　Tina；　upstairs　at　the　munications　console。　They　were　eating　cake。

Aha；　he　thought。　So　that　was　where　the　cake　had　gone。　〃Every　twelve　hours　the　tapes　are　transferred　to　the　submarine；〃　Tina　said。

〃What　for？〃　Beth　said。

〃Thats　so；　if　anything　happens　down　here；　the　submarine　will　automatically　go　to　the　surface。〃

〃Oh；　great；〃　Beth　said。　〃I　wont　think　about　that　too　much。　Where　is　Dr。　Fielding　now？〃

Tina　said；　〃He　gave　up　on　the　sphere；　and　went　into　the　main　flight　deck　with　Edmunds。〃

Norman　watched　the　monitor。　Tina　had　stepped　out　of　view。　Beth　sat　with　her　back　to　the　monitor；　eating　the　cake。　On　the　monitor　behind　Beth；　he　could　clearly　see　the　gleaming　sphere。　Monitors　showing　monitors；　he　thought。　The　Navy　people　who　eventually　review　this　stuff　are　going　to　go　crazy。　Tina　said；　〃Do　you　think　theyll　ever　get　the　sphere　open？〃　Beth　chewed　her　cake。　〃Maybe；〃　she　said。　〃I　dont　know。〃　And　to　Normans　horror；　he　saw　on　the　monitor　behind　Beth　that　the　door　of　the　sphere　was　sliding　silently　open；　revealing　blackness　inside。

OPEN

They　must　have　thought　he　was　crazy；　running　through　the　lock　to　D　Cylinder　and　stumbling　up　the　narrow　stairs　to　the　upper　level；　shouting；　〃Its　open！　Its　open！〃

He　came　to　the　munications　console　just　as　Beth　was　＇＇118＇＇　wiping　the　last　crumbs　of　coconut　from　her　lips。　She　set　down　her　fork。

〃Whats　open？〃

〃The　sphere！〃

Beth　spun　in　her　chair。　Tina　ran　over　from　the　bank　of　VCRs。　They　both　looked　at　the　monitor　behind　Beth。　There　was　an　awkward　silence。

〃Looks　closed　to　me；　Norman。〃

〃It　was　open。　I　saw　it。〃　He　told　them　about　watching　in　the　galley；　on　the　monitor。　〃It　was　just　a　few　seconds　ago；　and　the　sphere　definitely　opened。　It　must　have　closed　again　while　I　was　on　my　way　here。〃

〃Are　you　sure？〃

〃Thats　a　pretty　small　monitor　in　the　galley。　。。。〃

〃I　saw　it；〃　Norman　said。　〃Replay　it；　if　you　dont　believe　me。〃

〃Good　idea；〃　Tina　said；　and　she　went　to　the　recorders　to　play　the　tape　back。

Norman　was　breathing　heavily；　trying　to　catch　his　breath。　This　was　the　first　time　he　had　exerted　himself　in　the　dense　atmosphere；　and　he　felt　the　effects　strongly。　DH…8　was　not　a　good　place　to　get　excited；　he　decided。

Beth　was　watching　him。　〃You　okay；　Norman？〃

〃Im　fine。　I　tell　you；　I　saw　it。　It　opened。　Tina？〃

〃Itll　take　me　a　second　here。〃

Harry　walked　in；　yawning。　〃Beds　in　this　place　are　great；　arent　they？〃　he　said。　〃Like　sleeping　in　a　bag　of　wet　rice。　Sort　of　bination　bed　and　cold　shower。〃　He　sighed。　〃Itll　break　my　heart　to　leave。〃

Beth　said；　〃Norman　thinks　the　sphere　opened。〃

〃When？〃　he　said；　yawning　again。

〃Just　a　few　seconds　ago。〃

Harry　nodded　thoughtfully。　〃Interesting；　interesting。　I　see　its　closed　now。〃

〃Were　rewinding　the　videotapes；　to　look　again。〃

〃Uh…huh。　Is　there　any　more　of　that　cake？〃

Harry　seems　very　cool；　Norman　thought。　This　is　a　major　piece　of　news　and　he　doesnt　seem　excited　at　all。　Why　was　＇＇119＇＇　that？　Didnt　Harry　believe　it；　either？　Was　he　still　sleepy；　not　fully　awake？　Or　was　there　something　else？

〃Here　we　go；〃　Tina　said。

The　monitor　showed　jagged　lines；　and　then　resolved。　On　the　screen；　Tina　was　saying；