小说园

第32部分（第2页）

He　finished　dressing；　and　went　down　to　D　Cyl；　stepping　over　the　puddles　of　water　in　the　corridor。　Inside　D　itself；　the　furniture　was　soaked；　the　consoles　were　wet；　and　the　walls　were　covered　with　irregular　blobs　of　white　urethane　foam　where　Fletcher　had　spray…sealed　the　cracks。

Fletcher　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　the　spray　can　in　hand。　〃Not　as　pretty　as　it　was；〃　she　said。

〃Will　it　hold？〃

〃Sure；　but　I　guarantee　you：　we　cant　survive　another　one　of　those　attacks。〃

〃What　about　the　electronics。　They　working？〃

〃I　havent　checked；　but　it　should　be　okay。　Its　all　waterproofed。〃

Norman　nodded。　〃Any　sign　of　Captain　Barnes？〃　He　looked　at　the　bloody　handprint　on　the　wall。

〃No；　sir。　No　sign　of　the　Captain　at　all。〃　Fletcher　followed　his　eyes　to　the　wall。　〃Ill　clean　the　place　up　in　a　minute；　sir。〃

〃Wheres　Tina？〃　Norman　asked。

〃Resting。　In　E　Cyl。〃

Norman　nodded。　〃E　Cyl　any　drier　than　this？〃

〃Yes；〃　Fletcher　said。　〃Its　a　funny　thing。　There　was　＇＇215＇＇　nobody　in　E　Cyl　during　the　attack；　and　it　stayed　pletely　dry。〃

〃Any　word　from　Jerry？〃

〃No　contact；　sir；　no。〃

Norman　flicked　on　one　of　the　puter　consoles。

〃Jerry；　are　you　there？〃

The　screen　remained　blank。

〃Jerry？〃

He　waited　a　moment；　then　turned　the　console　off。

Tina　said；　〃look　at　it　now。〃　She　sat　up；　and　drew　the　blanket　back　to　expose　her　left　leg。

The　injury　was　much　worse　than　when　they　had　heard　her　screaming　and　had　run　through　the　habitat　and　pulled　her　up　through　the　A　Cyl　hatch。　Now；　running　diagonally　down　her　leg　was　a　series　of　saucer…shaped　welts；　the　center　of　each　puffed　and　purple。　〃Its　swollen　a　lot　in　the　last　hour；〃　Tina　said。

Norman　examined　the　injuries。　Fine　tooth…marks　ringed　swollen　areas。　〃Do　you　remember　what　it　felt　like？〃　he　said。　〃It　felt　awful；〃　Tina　said。　〃It　felt　sticky；　you　know；　like　sticky　glue　or　something。　And　then　each　one　of　these　round　places　burned。　Very　strong。〃

〃And　what　could　you　see？　Of　the　creature　itself。〃　〃Just…it　was　a　long　flat　spatula…thing。　It　looked　like　a　giant　leaf；　it　came　out　and　wrapped　around　me。〃

〃Any　color？〃

〃Sort　of　brownish。　I　couldnt　really　see。〃

He　paused　a　moment。　〃And　Captain　Barnes？〃

〃During　the　course　of　the　action；　I　was　separated　from　Captain　Barnes；　sir。　I　dont　know　what　happened　to　Captain　Barnes；　sir。〃　Tina　spoke　formally；　her　face　a　mask。　He　thought；　Lets　not　go　into　this　now。　If　you　ran　away；　its　all　right　with　me。

〃Has　Beth　seen　this　injury；　Tina？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　she　was　here　a　few　minutes　ago。〃

〃Okay。　Just　rest　now。〃

〃Sir？〃

＇＇216＇＇　〃Yes；　Tina？〃