快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

CQX　VDX　MOP　LKI　XXC　VRW　TGK　PIU　YQA　IYT
＇＇277＇＇　EEQ　FVC　ZNB　TMK　EXE　MMN　OPW　GEW
The　letters　stopped。
〃Looks　like　that's　it；〃　Harry　said。
〃How　do　we　translate　it？〃　Beth　said。
〃Assuming　it's　a　Navy　transmission；〃　Harry　said；　〃we　don't。〃
〃Maybe　there's　a　codebook　here　somewhere；〃　Beth　said。
〃Just　hold　on；〃　Harry　said。
The　screen　shifted；　translating　groups　one　after　another。
2340　HOURS　7…07　CHIEF　CINCPAC　TO　BARNES　DEEPHAB…8
〃It's　a　message　to　Barnes；〃　Harry　said。　They　watched　as　the　other　letter　groups　were　translated。
SURFACE　SUPPORT　VESSELS　STEAMING　NANDI　AND　VIPATI　TO　YOUR　LOCATION　ETA　1600　HOURS　7…08　DEEP　WITHDRAW　AUTOSET　ACKNOWLEDGE　GOOD　LUCK　SPAULDING　END
〃Does　that　mean　what　I　think　it　means？〃　Beth　said。
〃Yeah；〃　Harry　said。　〃The　cavalry　is　on　the　way。〃
〃Hot　damn！〃　Beth　clapped　her　hands。
〃The　storm　must　be　calming　down。　They've　sent　the　surface　ships　and　they'll　be　here　in　a　little　more　than　sixteen　hours。〃
〃And　autoset？〃
They　had　the　answer　immediately。　Every　screen　in　the　habitat　flickered。　In　the　upper　right　corner　of　each　appeared　a　small　box　with　numbers：　16：20：00。　The　numbers　ran　backward。
〃It's　automatically　counting　down　for　us。〃
〃Is　there　some　kind　of　countdown　we're　supposed　to　follow　for　leaving　the　habitat？〃　Beth　said。
Norman　watched　the　numbers。　They　were　rolling　backward；　just　as　they　had　on　the　submarine。　Then　he　said；　〃What　about　the　submarine？〃
〃Who　cares　about　the　submarine；〃　Harry　said。
〃I　think　we　should　keep　it　with　us；〃　Beth　said。　She　checked　her　watch。　〃We　have　another　four　hours　before　it　has　to　be　reset。〃
〃Plenty　of　time。〃
＇＇278＇＇　〃Yes。〃
Privately；　Norman　was　trying　to　gauge　whether　they　could　survive　for　sixteen　more　hours。
Harry　said；　〃Well；　this　is　great　news！　Why　are　you　two　so　hangdog？〃
〃Just　wondering　if　we'll　make　it；〃　Norman　said。
〃Why　shouldn't　we　make　it？〃　Harry　said。
〃Jerry　might　do　something　first；〃　Beth　said。　Norman　felt　a　burst　of　irritation　with　her。　Didn't　she　realize　that　by　saying　that；　she　was　planting　the　idea　in　Harry's　mind？
〃We　can't　survive　another　attack　on　the　habitat；〃　Beth　said。
Norman　thought；　Shut　up；　Beth。　You're　making　suggestions。
〃An　attack　on　the　habitat？〃　Harry　said。
Quickly；　Norman　said；　〃Harry；　I　think　you　and　I　should　talk　to　Jerry　again。〃
〃Really？　Why？〃
〃I　want　to　see　if　I　can　reason　with　him。〃
〃I　don't　know　if　you　can；〃　Harry　said。　〃Reason　with　him。〃
〃Let's　try　anyway；〃　Norman　said；　with　a　glance　at　Beth。　〃It's　worth　a　try。〃


Norman　knew　he　would　not　really　be　talking　to　Jerry。　He　would　be　talking　to　a　part　of　Harry。　An　unconscious　part；　a　shadow　part。　How　should　he　go　about　it？　What　could　he　use？
He　sat　in　front　of　the　monitor　screen；　thinking；　What　do　I　know　about　Harry；　really？　Harry；　who　had　grown　up　in　Philadelphia　as　a　thin；　introverted；　painfully　shy　boy；　a　mathematical　prodigy；　his　gifts　denigrated　by　his　friends　and　family。　Harry　had　said　once　that　when　he　cared　about　mathematics；　everybody　else　cared　about　slamdunking。　Even　now；　Harry　hated　all　games；　all　sports。　As　a　young　man　he　had　been　humiliated　and　neglected；　and　when　he　finally　got　proper　recognition　for　his　gifts；　Norman　suspected；　it　came　too　late。　The　damage　was　already　done。　Certainly　it　came　too　late　to　prevent　the　arrogant；　braggart　exterior。
＇＇279＇＇　I　AM　HERE。　DO　NOT　BE　AFRAID。
〃Jerry。〃
YES　NORMAN。
〃I　have　a　request　to　make。〃
YOU　MAY　DO　SO。
〃Jerry；　many　of　our　entities　are　gone；　and　our　habitat　is　weakened。〃
I　KNOW　THIS。　MAKE　YOUR　REQUEST。
〃Would　you　please　stop　manifesting？〃
NO。
〃Why　not？〃
I　DO　NOT　WISH　TO　STOP。
Well；　Norman　thought；　at　least　we　got　right　down　to　it。　No　wasting　time。　〃Jerry；　I　know　that　you　have　been　isolated　for　a　long　time；　for　many　centuries；　and　that　you　have　felt　alone　during　all　that　time。　You　have　felt　that　nobody　cared　about　you。　You　have　felt　that　nobody　wanted　to　play　with　you；　or　shared　your　interests。〃
YES　THIS　IS　TRUE。
〃And　now　at　last　you　can　manifest；　and　you　are　enjoying　this。　You　like　to　show　us　what　you　can　do；　to　impress　us。〃
THIS　IS　TRUE。
〃So　that　we　will　pay　attention　to　you。〃
YES。　I　LIKE　IT。
〃And　it　works。　We　do　pay　attention　to　you。〃
YES　I　KNOW　IT。
〃But　these　manifestations　injure　us；　Jerry。〃
I　DO　NOT　CARE。
〃And　they　surprise　us；　too。〃
I　AM　GLAD。
〃We're　surprised；　Jerry；　because　you　are　merely　playing　a　game　with　us。〃
I　DO　NOT　LIKE　GAMES。　I　DO　NOT　PLAY　GAMES。
〃Yes。　This　is　a　game　for　you；　Jerry。　It　is　a　sport。〃
NO；　IT　IS　NOT。
〃Yes；　it　is；〃　Norman　said。　〃It　is　a　stupid　sport。〃
Harry；　standing　beside　Norman；　said；　〃Do　you　want　to　contradict　him　that　way？　You　might　make　him　mad。　I　don't　think　Jerry　likes　to　be　contradicted。〃
＇＇280＇＇　I'm　sure　you　don't；　Norman　thought。　But　he　said；　〃Well；　I　have　to　tell　Jerry　the　truth　about　his　own　behavior。　He　isn't　doing　anything　very　interesting。〃
OH？　NOT　INTERESTING？
〃No。　You　are　being　spoiled　and　petulant；　Jerry。〃
DO　YOU　DARE　TO　SPEAK　TO　ME　IN　THIS　FASHION？
〃Yes。　Because　you　are　acting　stupidly。〃
〃Jeez；〃　Harry　said。　〃Take　it　easy　with　him。〃
I　CAN　EASILY　MAKE　YOU　REGRET　YOUR　WORDS；　NORMAN。
Norman　was　noticing；　in　passing；　that　Jerry's　vocabulary　and　syntax　were　now　flawless。　All　pretense　of　na？veté；　of　an　alien　quality；　had　been　dropped。　But　Norman　felt　stronger；　more　confident；　as　the　conversation　progressed。　He　knew　whom　he　was　talking　to　now。　He　wasn't　talking　to　any　alien。　There　weren't　any　unknown　assumptions。　He　was　talking　to　a　childish　part　of　another　human　being。
I　HAVE　MORE　POWER　THAN　YOU　CAN　IMAGINE。
〃I　know　you　have　power；　Jerry；〃　Norman　said。　〃Big　deal。〃
Harry　became　suddenly　agitated。　〃Norman。　For　Christ's　sake。　You're　going　to　get　us　all　killed。〃
LISTEN　TO　HARRY。　HE　IS　WISE。
〃No；　Jerry；〃　Norman　said。　〃Harry　is　not　wise。　He　is　only　afraid。〃
HARRY　IS　NOT　AFRAID。　ABSOLUTELY　NOT。
Norman　decided　to　let　that　pass。　〃I'm　talking　to　you；　Jerry。　Only　to　you。　You　are　the　one　who　is　playing　games。〃
GAMES　ARE　STUPID。
〃Yes；　they　are；　Jerry。　They　are　not　worthy　of　you。〃
GAMES　ARE　NOT　OF　INTEREST　TO　ANY　INTELLIGENT　PERSON。
〃Then　stop；　Jerry。　Stop　the　manifestations。〃
I　CAN　STOP　WHENEVER　I　WANT。
〃I　am　not　sure　you　can；　Jerry。〃
YES。　I　CAN。
〃Then　prove　it。　Stop　this　sport　of　manifestations。〃　There　was　a　long　pause。　They　waited　for　the　response。
NORMAN　YOUR　TRICKS　OF　MANIPULATION　ARE　CHILDISH　AND　OBVIOUS　TO　THE　POINT　OF　TEDIUM。　I　＇＇281＇＇　AM　NOT　INTERESTED　IN　TALKING　WITH　YOU　FURTHER。　I　WILL　DO　EXACTLY　AS　I　PLEASE　AND　I　WILL　MANIFEST　AS　I　WISH。
〃Our　habitat　cannot　withstand　more　manifestations；　Jerry…〃
I　DO　NOT　CARE。
〃If　you　injure　our　habitat　again；　Harry　will　die。〃
Harry　said；　〃Me　and　everybody　else；　for　Christ's　sake。〃
I　DO　NOT　CARE　NORMAN。
〃Why　would　you　kill　us；　Jerry？〃
YOU　SHOULD　NOT　BE　DOWN　HERE　IN　THE　FIRST　PLACE。　YOU　PEOPLE　DO　NOT　BELONG　HERE。　YOU　ARE　ARROGANT　CREATURES　WHO　INTRUDE　EVERYWHERE　IN　THE　WORLD　AND　YOU　HAVE　TAKEN　A　GREAT　FOOLISH　RISK　AND　NOW　YOU　MUST　PAY　THE　PRICE。　YOU　ARE　AN　UNCARING　UNFEELING　SPECIES　WITH　NO　LOVE　FOR　ONE　ANOTHER。
〃That's　not　true；　Jerry。〃
DO　NOT　CONTRADICT　ME　AGAIN；　NORMAN。
〃I'm　sorry；　but　the　unfeeling；　uncaring　person　is　you；　Jerry。　You　do　not　care　if　you　injure　us。　You　do　not　care　for　our　predicament。　It　is　you　who　are　uncaring；　Jerry。　Not　us。　You。〃
ENOUGH。
〃He's　not　going　to　talk　to　you　any　more；〃　Harry　said。　〃He's　really　mad；　Norman。〃
And　then　the　screen　printed：
I　WILL　KILL　YOU　ALL。


Norman　was　sweating；　he　wiped　his　forehead；　turned　away　from　the　words　on　the　screen。
〃I　don't　think　you　can　talk　to　this　guy；〃　Beth　said。　〃I　don't　think　you　can　reason　with　him。〃
〃You　shouldn't　have　made　him　angry；〃　Harry　said。　He　was　almost　pleading。　〃Why　did　you　make　him　angry　like　that；　Norman？〃
〃I　had　to　tell　him　the　truth。〃
＇＇282＇＇　〃But　you　were　so　mean　to　him；　and　now　he's　angry。〃
〃It　doesn't　matter；　angry　or　not；〃　Beth　said。　〃Harry　attacked　us　before；　when　he　wasn't　angry。〃
〃You　mean　Jerry；〃　Norman　said　to　her。　〃Jerry　attacked　us。〃
〃Yes；　right；　Jerry。〃
〃That's　a　hell　of　a　mistake　to　make；　Beth；〃　Harry　said。
〃You're　right；　Harry。　I'm　sorry。〃
Harry　was　looking　at　her　in　an　odd　way。　Norman　thought；　Harry　doesn't　miss　a　trick；　and　he　isn't　going　to　let　that　one　go　by。
〃I　don't　know　how　you　could　make　that　confusion；〃　Harry　said。
〃I　know。　It　was　a　slip　of　the　tongue。　It　was　stupid　of　me。〃
〃I'll　say。〃
〃I'm　sorry；〃　Beth　said。　〃Really　I　am。〃
〃Never　mind；〃　Harry　said。　〃It　doesn't　matter。〃
There　was　a　sudden　flatness　in　his　manner；　a　plete　indifference　in　his　tone。　Norman　thought：　Uh…oh。
Harry　yawned　and　stretched。　〃You　know；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　suddenly　very　tired。　I　think　I'll　take　a　nap　now。〃
And　he　went　off　to　the　bunks。

1600　HOURS

〃We　have　to　do　something；〃　Beth　said。　〃We　can't　talk　him　out　of　it。〃
〃You're　right；〃　Norman　said。　〃We　can't。〃
Beth　tapped　the　screen。　The　words　still　glowed：　I　WILL　KILL　YOU　ALL。
〃Do　you　think　he　means　it？〃
〃Yes。〃
＇＇283＇＇　Beth　stood；　clenched　her　fists。　〃So　it's　him　or　us。〃
〃Yes。　I　think　so。〃
The　implications　hung　in　the　air；　unspoken。
〃This　manifesting　process　of　his；〃　Beth　said。　〃Do　you　think　he　has　to　be　pletely　unconscious　to　prevent　it　from　happening？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Or　dead；〃　Beth　said。
〃Yes；〃　Norman　said。　That　had　occurred　to　him。　It　seemed　so　improbable；　such　an　unlikely　turn　of　events　in　his　life；　that　he　would　now　be　a　thousand　feet　under　the　water；　contemplating　the　murder　of　another　human　being。　Yet　that　was　what　he　was　doing。
〃I'd　hate　to　kill　him；〃　Beth　said。
〃Me；　too。〃
〃I　mean；　I　wouldn't　even　know　how　to　begin　to　do　it。〃
〃Maybe　we　don't　have　to　kill　him；〃　Norman　said。　〃Maybe　we　don't　have　to　kill　him　unless　he　starts　some　thing；〃　Beth　said。　Then　she　shook　her　head。　〃Oh　hell；　Norman；　who're　we　kidding？　This　habitat　can't　survive　another　attack。　We've　got　to　kill　him。　I　just　don't　want　to　face　up　to　it。〃
〃Neither　do　I；〃　Norman　said。
〃We　could　get　one　of　those　explosive　spear　guns　and　have　an　unfortunate　accident。　And　then　just　wait　for　our　time　to　be　up；　for　the　Navy　to　e　and　get　us　out　of　here。〃
〃I　don't　want　to　do　that。〃
〃I　don't；　either；〃　Beth　said。　〃But　what　else　can　we　do？〃　〃We　don't　have　to　kill　him；〃　Norman　said。　〃Just　make　him　unconscious。〃　He　went　to　the　first…aid　cabinet；　started　going　through　the　medicines。
〃You　think　there　might　be　something　there？〃　Beth　said。
〃Maybe。　An　anesthetic；　I　don't　know。〃
〃Would　that　work？〃
〃I　think　anything　that　produces　unconsciousness　will　work。　I　think。〃
〃I　hope　you're　right；〃　Beth　said；　〃because　if　he　starts　dreaming　and　then　manifests　the　monsters　from　his　dreams；　that　wouldn't　be　very　good。〃
＇＇284＇＇　〃No。　But　anesthesia　produces　a　dreamless；　total　state　of　unconsciousness。〃　Norman　was　looking　at　the　labels　on　the　bottles。　〃Do　you　know　what　these　things　are？〃
〃No；〃　Beth　said；　〃but　it's　all　in　the　puter。〃　She　sat　down　at　the　console。　〃Read　me　the　names　and　I'll　look　them　up　for　you。〃
〃Diphenyl　paralene。
Beth　pushed　buttons；　scanned　a　screen　of　dense　text。　〃It's；　uh　。。。　looks　like　。。。　something　for　burns。〃
〃Ephedrine　hydrochloride。〃
Another　screen。　〃It's　。。。　I　guess　it's　for　motion　sickness。〃
〃Valdomet。〃
〃It's　for　ulcers。〃
〃Sintag。〃
〃Synthetic　opium　analogue。　It's　very　short…acting。〃
〃Produces　unconsciousness？〃　Norman　asked。
〃No。　Not　according　to　this。　Anyway；　it　only　lasts　a　few　minutes。〃
〃Tarazine。〃
〃Tranquilizer。　Causes　drowsiness。〃
〃Good。〃　He　set　the　bottle　to　one　side。
〃　'And　may　also　cause　bizarre　ideation。'　〃
〃No；〃　he　said；　and　put　the　bottle　back。　They　didn't　need　to　have　any　bizarre　ideation。　〃Riordan？〃
〃Antihistamine。　For　bites。〃
〃Oxalamine？〃
〃Antibiotic。〃
〃Chloramphenicol？〃
〃Another　antibiotic。〃
〃Damn。〃　They　were　running　out　of　bottles。　〃Parasolutrine？〃
〃It's　a　soporific。　。。。〃
〃What's　that？〃
〃Causes　sleep。〃
〃You　mean　it's　a　sleeping　pill？〃
〃No；　it's…it　says　you　can　give　it　in　bination　with　paracin　trichloride　and　use　it　as　an　anesthetic。〃
〃Paracin　trichloride　。。。　Yes。　I　have　it　here；〃　Norman　said。　Beth　was　reading　from　the　screen。　〃Parasolutrine　twenty　＇＇285＇＇　cc's　in　bination　with　paracin　six　cc's　given　IM　produces　deep　sleep　suitable　for　emergency　surgical　procedures　。。。　no　cardiac　side　effects　。。。　sleep　from　which　the　subject　can　be　awakened　only　with　difficulty　。。。　REM　activity　is　suppressed。　。。。〃
〃How　long　does　it　last？〃
〃Three　to　six　hours。〃
〃And　how　fast　does　it　take　effect？〃
She　frowned。　〃It　doesn't　say。　'After　appropriate　depth　of　an