第一小说网

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第20部分（第1页）

〃Lets　all　stay　calm；〃　Barnes　said。　〃Everythings　under　control。　This　is　just　a　temporary　delay。　Theres　no　reason　to　get　upset。〃

But　Norman　didnt　feel　upset。　He　felt　suddenly　exhausted。　＇＇126＇＇　Beth　was　sulking；　angry；　feeling　deceived；　Ted　was　excited；　already　planning　another　excursion　to　the　spacecraft；　arranging　equipment　with　Edmunds。

But　Norman　felt　only　tired。　His　eyes　were　heavy；　he　thought　he　might　go　to　sleep　standing　there　in　front　of　the　monitors。　He　excused　himself　hurriedly；　went　back　to　his　bunk；　lay　down。　He　didnt　care　that　the　sheets　were　clammy；　he　didnt　care　that　the　pillow　was　cold；　he　didnt　care　that　diesels　were　droning　and　vibrating　in　the　next　cylinder。　He　thought：　This　is　a　very　strong　avoidance　reaction。　And　then　he　was　asleep。

BEYOND　PLUTO

Norman　rolled　out　of　bed　and　looked　for　his　watch；　but　hed　gotten　into　the　habit　of　not　wearing　one　down　here。　He　had　no　idea　what　time　it　was；　how　long　he　had　been　asleep。　He　looked　out　the　porthole；　saw　nothing　but　black　water。　The　grid　lights　were　still　off。　He　lay　back　in　his　bunk　and　looked　at　the　gray　pipes　directly　over　his　head；　they　seemed　closer　than　before；　as　if　they　had　moved　toward　him　while　he　slept。　Everything　seemed　cramped；　tighter；　more　claustrophobic。

Several　more　days　of　this；　he　thought。　God。

He　hoped　the　Navy　would　think　to　notify　his　family。　After　so　many　days；　Ellen　would　start　to　worry。　He　imagined　her　first　calling　the　FAA；　then　calling　the　Navy；　trying　to　find　out　what　had　happened。　Of　course；　no　one　would　know　anything；　because　the　project　was　classified；　Ellen　would　be　frantic。

Then　he　stopped　thinking　about　Ellen。　It　was　easier；　he　thought；　to　worry　about　your　loved　ones　than　to　worry　about　yourself。　But　there　wasnt　any　point。　Ellen　would　be　okay。　＇＇127＇＇　And　so　would　he。　It　was　just　a　matter　of　waiting。　Staying　calm；　and　waiting　out　the　storm。

He　got　into　the　shower；　wondering　if　theyd　still　have　hot　water　while　the　habitat　was　on　emergency　power。　They　did；　and　he　felt　less　stiff　after　his　shower。　It　was　odd；　he　thought；　to　be　a　thousand　feet　underwater　and　to　relish　the　soothing　effects　of　a　hot　shower。

He　dressed　and　headed　for　the　C　Cylinder。　He　heard　Tinas　voice　say；　〃…think　theyll　ever　get　the　sphere　open？〃

Beth：　〃Maybe。　I　dont　know。〃

〃It　scares　me。〃

〃I　dont　think　theres　a　reason　to　be　scared。〃

〃Its　the　unknown；〃　Tina　said。

When　Norman　came　in；　he　found　Beth　running　the　videotape；　looking　at　herself　and　Tina。　〃Sure；〃　Beth　said　on　the　videotape；　〃but　an　unknown　thing　is　not　likely　to　be　dangerous　or　frightening。　Its　most　likely　to　be　just　inexplicable。〃

Tina　said；　〃I　dont　know　how　you　can　say　that。〃

〃You　afraid　of　snakes？〃　Beth　said；　onscreen。

Beth　snapped　off　the　videotape。　〃Just　trying　to　see　if　I　could　figure　out　why　it　opened；〃　she　said。

〃Any　luck？〃　Norman　said。

〃Not　so　far。〃　On　the　adjacent　monitor；　they　could　see　the　sphere　itself。　The　sphere　was　closed。

〃Harry　still　in　there？〃　Norman　said。

〃Yes；〃　Beth　said。

〃How　long　has　it　been　now？〃

She　looked　up　at　the　consoles。　〃A　little　more　than　an　hour。〃

〃I　only　slept　an　hour？〃

〃Yeah。〃

〃Im　starving；〃　Norman　said；　and　he　went　down　to　the　galley　to　eat。　All　the　coconut　cake　was　gone。　He　was　looking　for　something　else　to　eat　when　Beth　showed　up。

〃I　dont　know　what　to　do；　Norman；〃　she　said；　frowning。

〃About　what？〃

〃Theyre　lying　to　us；〃　she　said。

〃Who　is？〃

＇＇128＇＇　〃Barnes。　The　Navy。　Everybody。　This　is　all　a　setup；　Norman。〃