小说园

第7部分（第1页）

He　found　Levine　hanging　off　the　port　railing。　Levine　came　＇＇38＇＇　from　the　oceanographic　institute　at　Woods　Hole；　Massachusetts。　His　hand　was　damp　when　Norman　shook　it。　Levine　looked　extremely　ill　at　ease；　and　finally　admitted　that　he　was　seasick。

〃Seasick？　A　marine　biologist？〃　Norman　said。

〃I　work　in　the　laboratory；〃　he　said。　〃At　home。　On　land。　Where　things　dont　move　all　the　time。　Why　are　you　smiling？〃

〃Sorry；〃　Norman　said。

〃You　think　its　funny；　a　seasick　marine　biologist？〃

〃Incongruous；　I　guess。〃

〃A　lot　of　us　get　seasick；〃　Levine　said。　He　stared　out　at　the　sea。　〃Look　out　there；〃　he　said。　〃Thousands　of　miles　of　flat。　Nothing。〃

〃The　ocean。〃

〃It　gives　me　the　creeps；〃　Levine　said。

〃So？〃　Barnes　said；　back　in　his　office。　〃What　do　you　think？〃

〃Of　what？〃

〃Of　the　team；　for　Christs　sake。〃

〃Its　the　team　I　chose；　six　years　later。　Basically　a　good　group；　certainly　very　able。〃

〃I　want　to　know　who　will　crack。〃

〃Why　should　anybody　crack？〃　Norman　said。　He　was　looking　at　Barnes；　noticing　the　thin　line　of　sweat　on　his　upper　lip。　The　mander　was　under　a　lot　of　pressure　himself。

〃A　thousand　feet　down？〃　Barnes　said。　〃Living　and　working　in　a　cramped　habitat？　Listen；　its　not　like　Im　going　in　with　military　divers　who　have　been　trained　and　who　have　themselves　under　control。　Im　taking　a　bunch　of　scientists；　for　Gods　sake。　I　want　to　make　sure　they　all　have　a　clean　bill　of　health。　I　want　to　make　sure　nobodys　going　to　crack。〃

〃I　dont　know　if　you　are　aware　of　this；　Captain；　but　psychologists　cant　predict　that　very　accurately。　Who　will　crack。〃

〃Even　when　its　from　fear？〃

〃Whatever　its　from。〃

Barnes　frowned。　〃I　thought　fear　was　your　specialty。〃

＇＇39＇＇　〃Anxiety　is　one　of　my　research　interests　and　I　can　tell　you　who；　on　the　basis　of　personality　profiles；　is　likely　to　suffer　acute　anxiety　in　a　stress　situation。　But　I　cant　predict　wholl　crack　under　that　stress　and　who　wont。〃

〃Then　what　good　are　you？〃　Barnes　said　irritably。　He　sighed。　〃Im　sorry。　Dont　you　just　want　to　interview　them；　or　give　them　some　tests？〃

〃There　arent　any　tests；〃　Norman　said。　〃At　least；　none　that　work。〃

Barnes　sighed　again。　〃What　about　Levine？〃

〃Hes　seasick。〃

〃There　isnt　any　motion　underwater；　that　wont　be　a　problem。　But　what　about　him；　personally？〃

〃Id　be　concerned；〃　Norman　said。

〃Duly　noted。　What　about　Harry　Adams？　Hes　arrogant。〃

〃Yes；〃　Norman　said。　〃But　thats　probably　desirable。〃　Studies　had　shown　that　the　people　who　were　most　successful　at　handling　pressure　were　people　others　didnt　like…individuals　who　were　described　as　arrogant；　cocksure；　irritating。

〃Maybe　so；〃　Barnes　said。　〃But　what　about　his　famous　research　paper？　Harry　was　one　of　the　biggest　supporters　of　SETI　a　few　years　back。　Now　that　weve　found　something；　hes　suddenly　very　negative。　You　remember　his　paper？〃

Norman　didnt；　and　was　about　to　say　so　when　an　ensign　came　in。　〃Captain　Barnes；　here　is　the　visual　upgrade　you　wanted。〃

〃Okay；〃　Barnes　said。　He　squinted　at　a　photograph；　put　it　down。　〃What　about　the　weather？〃

〃No　change；　sir。　Satellite　reports　are　confirming　we　have　forty…eight　plus…minus　twelve　on　site；　sir。〃