669小说网

第25部分（第3页）

Over　the　inter；　Edmunds　said；　〃They　seem　to　be　warm。　I　feel　heat　on　my　arms　and　legs。〃

〃Thats　not　right；〃　Barnes　said。　He　turned　to　Tina。　〃Tell　her　to　get　out　of　there。〃

Tina　ran　from　the　cylinder；　toward　the　munications　console。

Norman　could　hardly　see　Edmunds　any　more。　He　was　vaguely　aware　of　a　dark　shape；　moving　arms；　agitated。　。。。

Over　the　inter；　she　said；　〃The　smear　on　the　faceplate…it　wont　go　away…they　seem　to　be　eroding　the　plastic…and　my　arms…the　fabric　is…〃

Tinas　voice　said；　〃Jane。　Jane；　get　out　of　there。〃

〃On　the　double；〃　Barnes　shouted。　〃Tell　her　on　the　double！〃

Edmundss　breathing　was　ing　in　ragged　gasps。　〃The　smears…cant　see　very　well…I　feel…hurts…my　arms　burning…hurts…theyre　eating　through…〃

〃Jane。　e　back。　Jane。　Are　you　reading？　Jane。〃

〃Shes　fallen　down；〃　Harry　said。　〃Look；　you　can　see　her　lying…〃

〃…We　have　to　save　her；〃　Ted　said；　jumping　to　his　feet。

〃Nobody　move；　〃　Barnes　said。

〃But　shes…〃

〃…Nobody　else　is　going　out　there；　mister。〃

Edmundss　breathing　was　rapid。　She　coughed；　gasped。　〃I　cant…I　cant…oh　God…〃

Edmunds　began　to　scream。

The　scream　was　high…pitched　and　continuous　except　for　ragged　gasps　for　breath。　They　could　no　longer　see　her　through　the　swarms　of　jellyfish。　They　looked　at　each　other；　at　Barnes。　Barness　face　was　rigidly　set；　his　jaw　tight；　listening　to　the　screams。

And　then；　abruptly；　there　was　silence。

THE　NEXT　MESSAGES

An　hour　later；　the　jellyfish　disappeared　as　mysteriously　as　they　had　e。　They　could　see　Edmundss　body　outside　the　habitat；　lying　on　the　bottom；　rocking　back　and　forth　gently　in　the　current。　There　were　small　ragged　holes　in　the　fabric　of　the　suit。

They　watched　through　the　portholes　as　Barnes　and　the　chief　petty　officer；　Teeny　Fletcher；　crossed　the　bottom　into　the　harsh　floodlights；　carrying　extra　air　tanks。　They　lifted　Edmundss　body；　the　helmeted　head　flopped　loosely　back；　revealing　the　scarred　plastic　faceplate；　dull　in　the　light。

Nobody　spoke。　Norman　noticed　that　even　Harry　had　dropped　his　manic　effect；　he　sat　unmoving；　staring　out　the　window。

Outside；　Barnes　and　Fletcher　still　held　the　body。　There　was　a　great　burst　of　silvery　bubbles；　which　rose　swiftly　to　the　surface。

〃Whatre　they　doing？〃

〃Inflating　her　suit。〃

〃Why？　Arent　they　bringing　her　back？〃　Ted　said。

〃They　cant；〃　Tina　said。　〃Theres　nowhere　to　put　her　here。　The　deposition　by…products　would　ruin　our　air。〃

〃But　there　must　be　some　kind　of　a　sealed　container…〃

〃…There　isnt；〃　Tina　said。　〃Theres　no　provision　for　keeping　organic　remains　in　the　habitat。〃

〃You　mean　they　didnt　plan　on　anyone　dying。〃

〃Thats　right。　They　didnt。〃

Now　there　were　many　thin　streams　of　bubbles　rising　from　the　holes　in　the　suit；　toward　the　surface。　Edmundss　suit　was　puffed；　bloated。　Barnes　released　it；　and　it　floated　slowly　away；　as　if　pulled　upward　by　the　streaming　silver　bubbles。

〃Itll　go　to　the　surface？〃

〃Yes。　The　gas　expands　continuously　as　outside　pressure　diminishes。〃

〃And　what　then？〃

〃Sharks；〃　Beth　said。　〃Probably。〃

In　a　few　moments　the　body　disappeared　into　blackness；　＇＇165＇＇　beyond　the　reach　of　the　lights。　Barnes　and　Fletcher　still　watched　the　body；　helmets　tilted　up　toward　the　surface。　Fletcher　made　the　sign　of　the　cross。　Then　they　trudged　back　toward　the　habitat。

A　bell　rang　from　somewhere　inside。　Tina　went　into　D　Cyl。　Moments　later　she　shouted；　〃Dr。　Adams！　More　numbers！〃

Harry　got　up　and　went　into　the　next　cylinder。　The　others　trailed　after　him。　Nobody　wanted　to　look　out　the　porthole　any　longer。

Norman　stared　at　the　screen；　entirely　puzzled。