第一小说网

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第33部分（第3页）

＇＇224＇＇　They　turned　off　both　the　interior　and　exterior　lights。　Norman　peered　through　the　porthole；　straining　to　see　out　in　the　darkness。　They　had　long　ago　learned　that　the　darkness　at　this　depth　was　not　absolute；　the　waters　of　the　Pacific　were　so　clear　that　even　a　thousand　feet　down　some　light　registered　on　the　bottom。　It　was　very　slight…Edmunds　had　pared　it　to　starlight…but　Norman　knew　that　on　the　surface　you　could　see　by　starlight　alone。

Now　he　cupped　his　hands　by　the　sides　of　his　face　to　block　out　the　low　light　ing　from　Tinas　consoles；　waited　for　his　eyes　to　adjust。　Behind　him；　Tina　and　Fletcher　were　working　with　the　monitors。　He　heard　the　hiss　of　the　hydrophones　in　the　room。

It　was　all　happening　again。

Ted　was　standing　by　the　monitor；　saying；　〃Jerry；　can　you　hear　me？　Jerry；　are　you　listening？〃　But　he　wasnt　getting　through。

Beth　came　up　as　Norman　peered　out　the　porthole。　〃You　see　anything？〃

〃Not　yet。〃

Behind　them；　Tina　said；　〃Eighty　yards　and　closing　。。。　Sixty　yards。　You　want　sonar？〃

〃No　sonar；〃　Fletcher　said。　〃Nothing　to　make　ourselves　interesting　to　him。〃

〃Then　should　we　kill　the　electronics？〃

〃Kill　everything。〃

All　the　console　lights　went　out。　Now　there　was　just　the　red　glow　of　the　space　heaters　above　them。　They　sat　in　darkness　and　stared　out。　Norman　tried　to　remember　how　long　dark…vision　acmodation　required。　He　remembered　it　might　be　as　long　as　three　minutes。

He　began　to　see　shapes：　the　outline　of　the　grid　on　the　bottom　and；　dimly；　the　high　fin　of　the　spaceship；　rising　sharply　up。

Then　something　else。

A　green　glow　in　the　distance。　At　the　horizon。

〃Its　like　a　green　sunrise；〃　Beth　said。

The　glow　increased　in　intensity；　and　then　they　saw　an　amorphous　green　shape　with　lateral　streaks。　Norman　＇＇225＇＇　thought；　Its　just　like　the　image　we　saw　before。　It　looks　just　like　that。　He　couldnt　really　make　out　the　details。

〃Is　it　a　squid？〃　he　said。　〃Yes；〃　Beth　said。

〃I　cant　see。　。。。〃

〃Youre　looking　at　it　end…on。　The　body　is　toward　us；　the　tentacles　behind；　partially　blocked　by　the　body。　Thats　why　you　cant　see　it。〃

The　squid　grew　larger。　It　was　definitely　ing　toward　them。

Ted　ran　from　the　portholes　back　to　the　consoles。　〃Jerry；　are　you　listening？　Jerry？〃

〃Electronics　are　off；　Dr。　Fielding；〃　Fletcher　said。　〃Well；　lets　try　and　talk　to　him；　for　Gods　sake。〃

〃I　think　were　past　the　talking　stage　now；　sir。〃

The　squid　was　faintly　luminous；　the　entire　body　a　deep　green。　Now　Norman　could　see　a　sharp　vertical　ridge　in　the　body。　The　moving　tentacles　and　arms　were　clear。　The　outline　grew　larger。　The　squid　moved　laterally。

〃Its　going　around　the　grid。〃

〃Yes；〃　Beth　said。　〃Theyre　intelligent　animals；　they　have　the　ability　to　learn　from　experience。　It　probably　didnt　like　hitting　the　grid　before；　and　it　remembers。〃

The　squid　passed　the　spacecraft　fin；　and　they　could　gauge　its　size。　Its　as　big　as　a　house；　Norman　thought。　The　creature　slid　smoothly　through　the　water　toward　them。　He　felt　a　sense　of　awe；　despite　his　pounding　heart。

〃Jerry？　Jerry！〃

〃Save　your　breath；　Ted。〃

〃Thirty　yards；〃　Tina　said。　〃Still　ing。〃

As　the　squid　came　closer；　Norman　could　count　the　arms；　and　he　saw　the　two　long　tentacles；　glowing　lines　extending　far　beyond　the　body。　The　arms　and　tentacles　seemed　to　move　loosely　in　the　water；　while　the　body　made　rhythmic　muscular　contractions。　The　squid　propelled　itself　with　water；　and　did　not　use　the　arms　for　swimming。

〃Twenty　yards。〃

〃God；　its　big；〃　Harry　said。

〃You　know；〃　Beth　said；　〃were　the　first　people　in　human　＇＇226＇＇　history　to　see　a　free…swimming　giant　squid。　This　should　be　a　great　moment。〃

They　heard　the　gurgling；　the　rush　of　water　over　the　hydrophones；　as　the　squid　came　closer。

〃Ten　yards。〃

For　a　moment；　the　great　creature　turned　sideways　to　the　habitat；　and　they　could　see　its　profile…the　enormous　glowing　body；　thir