小说园

第50部分（第1页）

Back；　one　at　a　time。

The　crew　members　popped　back　in　the　tubes；　materializing　on　demand。

All　men。

The　women　were　changed　into　men。

All　women。

They　all　became　women。

He　had　the　power。

0200　HOURS

〃Norman。〃

Beths　voice　over　the　loudspeakers；　hissing　through　the　empty　spacecraft。

〃Where　are　you；　Norman？　I　know　youre　there　somewhere。　I　can　feel　you；　Norman。〃

Norman　was　moving　through　the　kitchen；　past　the　empty　cans　of　Coke　on　the　counter；　then　through　the　heavy　door　and　into　the　flight　deck。　He　saw　Beths　face　on　all　the　console　screens；　Beth　seeming　to　see　him；　the　image　repeated　a　dozen　times。

〃Norman。　I　know　where　youve　been。　Youve　been　inside　the　sphere；　havent　you；　Norman？〃

He　pressed　the　consoles　with　the　flat　of　his　hand；　trying　to　turn　off　the　screens。　He　couldnt　do　it；　the　images　remained。

〃Norman。　Answer　me；　Norman。〃

He　moved　past　the　flight　deck；　going　toward　the　airlock。　〃It　wont　do　you　any　good；　Norman。　Im　in　charge　now。　Do　you　hear　me；　Norman？〃

In　the　airlock；　he　heard　a　click　as　his　helmet　ring　locked；　the　air　from　the　tanks　was　cool　and　dry。　He　listened　to　the　even　sound　of　his　own　breathing。

〃Norman。〃　Beth；　on　the　inter　in　his　helmet。　〃Why　dont　you　speak　to　me；　Norman？　Are　you　afraid；　Norman？〃　The　repetition　of　his　name　irritated　him。　He　pressed　the　buttons　to　open　the　airlock。　Water　began　to　flood　in　from　the　floor；　rising　swiftly。

〃Oh；　there　you　are；　Norman。　I　see　you　now。〃　And　she　began　to　laugh；　a　high；　cackling　laugh。

Norman　turned　around；　saw　the　video　camera　mounted　on　the　robot；　still　inside　the　airlock。　He　shoved　the　camera；　spinning　it　away。

〃That　wont　do　any　good；　Norman。〃

He　was　back　outside　the　spacecraft；　standing　by　the　air　lock。　The　Tevac　explosives；　rows　of　glowing　red　dots；　＇＇338＇＇　extended　away　in　erratic　lines；　like　an　airplane　runway　laid　out　by　some　demented　engineer。

〃Norman？　Why　dont　you　answer　me；　Norman？〃

Beth　was　unstable；　erratic。　He　could　hear　it　in　her　voice。　He　had　to　deprive　her　of　her　weapons；　to　turn　off　the　explosives；　if　he　could。

Off；　he　thought。　Lets　have　the　explosives　off　and　disarmed。

All　the　red　lights　immediately　went　off。

Not　bad；　he　thought；　with　a　burst　of　pleasure。　A　moment　later；　the　red　lights　blinked　back　on。

〃You　cant　do　it；　Norman；〃　Beth　said；　laughing。　〃Not　to　me。　I　can　fight　you。〃

He　knew　she　was　right。　They　were　having　an　argument；　a　test　of　wills；　turning　the　explosives　on　and　off。　And　the　argument　couldnt　ever　be　resolved。　Not　that　way。　He　would　have　to　do　something　more　direct。

He　moved　toward　the　nearest　of　the　Tevac　explosives。　Up　close；　the　cone　was　larger　than　he　had　thought；　four　feet　high；　with　a　red　light　at　the　top。

〃I　can　see　you；　Norman。　I　see　what　youre　doing。〃

There　was　writing　on　the　cone；　yellow　letters　stenciled　on　the　gray　surface。　Norman　bent　to　read　it。　His　faceplate　was　slightly　fogged；　but　he　could　still　make　out　the　words。

DANGER　…　TEVAC　EXPLOSIVES

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CONSULT　MANUAL　USNVV512…A