小说园

第2部分（第1页）

〃You　can　mention　that　to　Captain　Barnes；　sir。〃

They　ducked　through　a　door；　moving　out　of　the　hot　sun　into　a　fluorescent…lit　hallway。　It　was　much　cooler。　〃Air　conditioning　hasnt　gone　out　lately；〃　the　officer　said。　〃At　least　thats　something。〃

〃Does　the　air　conditioning　go　out　often？〃

〃Only　when　its　hot。〃

Through　another　door；　and　into　a　large　workroom：　metal　walls；　racks　of　tools；　acetylene　torches　spraying　sparks　as　workmen　hunched　over　metal　pontoons　and　pieces　of　intricate　machinery；　cables　snaking　over　the　floor。　〃We　do　ROV　repairs　here；〃　the　officer　said；　shouting　over　the　din。　〃Most　of　the　heavy　work　is　done　on　the　tenders。　We　just　do　some　of　the　electronics　here。　We　go　this　way；　sir。〃

Through　another　door；　down　another　corridor；　and　into　a　wide；　low…ceilinged　room　crammed　with　video　monitors。　A　＇＇8＇＇　half…dozen　technicians　sat　in　shadowy　half…darkness　before　the　color　screens。　Norman　paused　to　look。

〃This　is　where　we　monitor　the　ROVs；〃　the　officer　said。　〃Weve　got　three　or　four　robots　down　on　the　bottom　at　any　given　time。　Plus　the　MSBs　and　the　FDs；　of　course。〃

Norman　heard　the　crackle　and　hiss　of　radio　munications；　soft　fragments　of　words　he　couldnt　make　out。　On　one　screen　he　saw　a　diver　walking　on　the　bottom。　The　diver　was　standing　in　harsh　artificial　light；　wearing　a　kind　of　suit　Norman　had　never　seen；　heavy　blue　cloth　and　a　brightyellow　helmet　sculpted　in　an　odd　shape。

Norman　pointed　to　the　screen。　〃How　deep　is　he？〃

〃I　dont　know。　Thousand；　twelve　hundred　feet；　something　like　that。〃

〃And　what　have　they　found？〃

〃So　far；　just　the　big　titanium　fin。〃　The　officer　glanced　around。　〃It　doesnt　read　on　any　monitors　now。　Bill；　can　you　show　Dr。　Johnson　here　the　fin？〃

〃Sorry；　sir；〃　the　technician　said。　〃Present　MainOps　is　working　north　of　there；　in　quadrant　seven。〃

〃Ah。　Quad　sevens　almost　half　a　mile　away　from　the　fin；〃　the　officer　said　to　Norman。　〃Too　bad：　its　a　hell　of　a　thing　to　see。　But　youll　see　it　later；　Im　sure。　This　way　to　Captain　Barnes。〃

They　walked　for　a　moment　down　the　corridor；　then　the　officer　said；　〃Do　you　know　the　Captain；　sir？〃

〃No；　why？〃

〃Just　wondered。　Hes　been　very　eager　to　see　you。　Calling　up　the　　techs　every　hour；　to　find　out　when　youre　arriving。〃

〃No；〃　Norman　said；　〃Ive　never　met　him。〃

〃Very　nice　man。〃

〃I　m　sure。〃

The　officer　glanced　over　his　shoulder。　〃You　know；　they　have　a　saying　about　the　Captain；〃　he　said。

〃Oh？　Whats　that？〃

〃They　say　his　bite　is　worse　than　his　bark。〃

*　*　*

＇＇9＇＇　Through　another　door；　which　was　marked　〃Project　mander〃　and　had　beneath　that　a　sliding　plate　that　said　〃Capt。　Harold　C。　Barnes；　USN。〃　The　officer　stepped　aside；　and　Norman　entered　a　paneled　stateroom。　A　burly　man　in　shirtsleeves　stood　up　from　behind　a　stack　of　files。

Captain　Barnes　was　one　of　those　trim　military　men　who　made　Norman　feel　fat　and　inadequate。　In　his　middle　forties；　Hal　Barnes　had　erect　military　bearing；　an　alert　expression；　short　hair；　a　flat　gut；　and　a　politicians　firm　handshake。

〃Wele　aboard　the　Hawes；　Dr。　Johnson。　Howre　you　feeling？〃

〃Tired；〃　Norman　said。