第24部分(第4/7 頁)

。〃

〃Did　I？〃

〃Yes。　Why　was　that？〃

〃God　only　knows。　I　was　so　confused。〃

〃You　also　said　it　was　dangerous　for　us　to　stay　here。〃　Harry　smiled。

〃Norman；　you　can't　take　that　too　seriously。　I　didn't　know　if　I　was　ing　or　going。〃

〃Harry；　we　need　you　to　remember　these　things。　If　things　start　to　e　back　to　you；　will　you　tell　me？〃

〃Oh　sure；　Norman。　Absolutely。　You　can　count　on　me；　I'll　tell　you　right　away。〃

THE　LABORATORY

〃No；〃　Beth　said。　〃none　of　it　makes　sense。　First　of　all；　in　areas　where　fish　haven't　encountered　human　beings　before；　they　tend　to　ignore　humans　unless　they　are　hunted。　The　Navy　divers　didn't　hunt　the　fish。　Second；　if　the　divers　stirred　up　the　bottom；　that'd　actually　release　nutrients　and　attract　more　animals。　Third；　many　species　of　animals　are　attracted　to　electrical　currents。　So；　if　anything；　the　shrimps　and　other　animals　should've　been　drawn　here　earlier　by　the　electricity。　Not　now；　with　the　power　off。〃

She　was　examining　the　shrimps　under　the　low…power　scanning　microscope。　〃How　does　he　seem？〃

〃Harry？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃Is　he　okay？〃

〃I　don't　know。　I　think　so。〃

Still　looking　through　the　microscope　lens；　she　said；　〃Did　he　tell　you　anything　about　what　happened　inside　the　sphere？〃

〃Not　yet。〃

She　adjusted　the　microscope；　shook　her　head。　〃I'll　be　damned。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　Norman　said。

〃Extra　dorsal　plating。〃

〃Meaning？〃

〃It's　another　new　species；〃　she　said。

Norman　said；　〃Shrimpus　bethus？　You're　making　discoveries　hand　over　fist　down　here；　Beth。〃

〃Uh…huh　。。。　I　checked　the　sea　fans；　too；　because　they　seemed　to　have　an　unusual　radial　growth　pattern。　They're　a　new　species　as　well。〃

〃That's　great；　Beth