第31部分(第3/7 頁)

d　a　slight　hiss。　Tina　adjusted　the　speaker　volume。

〃Hydrophones？〃　Harry　said　quietly。

Barnes　nodded。　〃Polar　glass　transducers。　Best　in　the　world。〃

They　all　strained　to　listen；　but　heard　nothing　except　the　undifferentiated　hiss。　To　Norman　it　sounded　like　tape　noise；　with　an　occasional　gurgle　of　the　water。　If　he　wasn't　so　tense；　he　would　have　found　the　sound　irritating。

Barnes　said；　〃Bastard's　clever。　He's　managed　to　blind　us；　cover　all　our　ports　with　goo。〃

〃Not　goo；〃　Beth　said。　〃Eggs。〃

〃Well；　they're　covering　every　damn　port　in　the　habitat。〃　The　hissing　continued；　unchanging。　Tina　twisted　the　＇＇208＇＇　hydrophone　dials。　There　was　a　soft　continuous　crackling；　like　cellophane　being　crumpled。

〃What's　that？〃　Ted　said。

Beth　said；　〃Fish。　Eating。〃

Barnes　nodded。　Tina　twisted　the　dials。　〃Tuning　it　out。〃　They　again　heard　the　undifferentiated　hiss。　The　tension　in　the　room　lessened。　Norman　felt　tired　and　sat　down。　Harry　sat　next　to　him。　Norman　noticed　that　Harry　looked　more　thoughtful　than　concerned。　Across　the　room；　Ted　stood　near　the　hatch　door　and　bit　his　lip。　He　looked　like　a　frightened　kid。

There　was　a　soft　electronic　beep。　Lines　on　the　gas…plasma　screens　jumped。

Tina　said；　〃I　have　a　positive　on　peripheral　thermals。〃

Barnes　nodded：　〃Direction？〃

〃East。　ing。〃

They　heard　a　metallic　clank！　Then　another　clank！

〃What's　that？〃

〃The　grid。　He's　hitting　the　grid。〃

〃Hitting　it？　Sounds　like　he's　dismantling　it。〃

Norman　remembered　the　grid。　It　was　made　of　three…inch　pipe。

〃A　big　fish？　A　shark？〃　Beth　said。

Barnes　shook　his　head。　〃He's　not　moving　like　a　shark。　And　he's　too　big。〃

Tina　said；　〃Positive　thermals　on　in…line　perimeter。　He's　still　ing。〃