第2部分(第1/7 页)

〃You　can　mention　that　to　Captain　Barnes；　sir。〃

They　ducked　through　a　door；　moving　out　of　the　hot　sun　into　a　fluorescent…lit　hallway。　It　was　much　cooler。　〃Air　conditioning　hasn't　gone　out　lately；〃　the　officer　said。　〃At　least　that's　something。〃

〃Does　the　air　conditioning　go　out　often？〃

〃Only　when　it's　hot。〃

Through　another　door；　and　into　a　large　workroom：　metal　walls；　racks　of　tools；　acetylene　torches　spraying　sparks　as　workmen　hunched　over　metal　pontoons　and　pieces　of　intricate　machinery；　cables　snaking　over　the　floor。　〃We　do　ROV　repairs　here；〃　the　officer　said；　shouting　over　the　din。　〃Most　of　the　heavy　work　is　done　on　the　tenders。　We　just　do　some　of　the　electronics　here。　We　go　this　way；　sir。〃

Through　another　door；　down　another　corridor；　and　into　a　wide；　low…ceilinged　room　crammed　with　video　monitors。　A　＇＇8＇＇　half…dozen　technicians　sat　in　shadowy　half…darkness　before　the　color　screens。　Norman　paused　to　look。

〃This　is　where　we　monitor　the　ROV's；〃　the　officer　said。　〃We've　got　three　or　four　robots　down　on　the　bottom　at　any　given　time。　Plus　the　MSB's　and　the　FD's；　of　course。〃

Norman　heard　the　crackle　and　hiss　of　radio　munications；　soft　fragments　of　words　he　couldn't　make　out。　On　one　screen　he　saw　a　diver　walking　on　the　bottom。　The　diver　was　standing　in　harsh　artificial　light；　wearing　a　kind　of　suit　Norman　had　never　seen；　heavy　blue　cloth　and　a　brightyellow　helmet　sculpted　in　an　odd　shape。

Norman　pointed　to　the　screen。　〃How　deep　is　he？〃

〃I　don't　know。　Thousand；　twelve　hundred　feet；　something　like　that。〃

〃And　what　have　they　found？〃

〃So　far；　just　the　big　titanium　fin。〃　The　officer　glanced　around。　〃It　doesn't　read　on　any　monitors　now。　Bill；　can　you　show　Dr。　Johnson　here　the　fin？〃

〃Sorry；　sir；