第24部分(第1/7 頁)

Norman　felt　slightly　uneasy。　〃What're　they　doing　here？〃

〃I　don't　know。　What　do　shrimps　do；　anyway？　Do　they　migrate？〃

〃Damned　if　I　know；〃　Barnes　said。　〃I　always　buy　'em　frozen。　My　wife　hates　to　peel　'em。〃

Norman　remained　uneasy；　though　he　could　not　say　why。　He　could　clearly　see　now　that　the　bottom　was　covered　in　shrimps；　they　were　everywhere。　Why　should　it　bother　him？

Norman　moved　away　from　the　window；　hoping　his　sense　of　vague　uneasiness　would　go　away　if　he　looked　at　something　else。　But　it　didn't　go　away；　it　just　stayed　there…a　small　tense　knot　in　the　pit　of　his　stomach。　He　didn't　like　the　feeling　at　all。

HARRY

〃Harry。〃

〃Oh；　hi；　Norman。　I　heard　the　excitement。　Lot　of　shrimps　outside；　is　that　it？〃

Harry　sat　on　his　bunk；　with　the　paper　printout　of　numbers　on　his　knees。　He　had　a　pencil　and　pad；　and　the　page　was　covered　with　calculations；　scratchouts；　symbols；　arrows。

〃Harry；〃　Norman　said；　〃what's　going　on？〃

〃Damned　if　I　know。〃

〃I'm　just　wondering　why　we　should　suddenly　be　finding　life　down　here…the　squid；　the　shrimps…when　before　there　was　nothing。　Ever。〃

〃Oh；　that。　I　think　that's　pretty　clear。〃

〃Yes？〃

〃Sure。　What's　different　between　then　and　now？〃

〃You've　been　inside　the　sphere。〃

〃No；　no。　I　mean；　what's　different　in　the　outside　environment？〃

Norman　frowned。　He　didn't　grasp　what　Harry　was　driving　at。

〃Well；　just　look　outside；〃　Harry　said。　〃What　could　you　see　before　that　you　can't　see　now？〃

〃The　grid？〃

〃Uh…huh。　The　grid　and　the　divers。　Lot　of　activity…and　a　lot　of　electricity。　I　think　it　scared　off　the　normal　fauna　of　the　area。　This　is　the　South　Pacific；　you　know；　it　ought　to　be　teeming　with　life。〃

〃And　now　that　the　divers　are