第10部分 (第1/7页)

rs；　illuminated　like　fireflies；　moved　over　the　glowing　grid　surface。

Norman　thought：　I　am　a　thousand　feet　beneath　the　surface　of　the　ocean；　and　we　are　talking　about　whether　we　should　have　strawberry　shortcake　for　dessert。　But　the　more　he　thought　about　it；　the　more　it　made　sense。　The　best　way　to　make　somebody　fortable　in　a　new　environment　was　to　give　him　familiar　food。

〃Strawberries　make　me　break　out；〃　Ted　said。

〃I'll　make　your　shortcake　with　blueberries；〃　Levy　said；　not　missing　a　beat。

〃And　whipped　cream？〃　Ted　said。

〃Well　。。。〃

＇＇60＇＇　〃You　can't　have　everything；〃　Barnes　said。　〃And　one　of　the　things　you　can't　have　at　thirty　atmospheres　of　mixed　gas　is　whipped　cream。　Won't　whip。　Let's　move　on。〃

Beth　and　Harry　were　waiting　in　the　small；　padded　conference　room；　directly　above　the　mess。　They　both　wore　jumpsuits　and　heated　jackets。　Harry　was　shaking　his　head　as　they　arrived。　〃Like　our　padded　cell？〃　He　poked　the　insulated　walls。　〃It's　like　living　in　a　vagina。〃

Beth　said；　〃Don't　you　like　going　back　to　the　womb；　Harry？〃

〃No；〃　Harry　said。　〃I've　been　there。　Once　was　enough。〃

〃These　jumpsuits　are　pretty　bad；〃　Ted　said；　plucking　at　the　clinging　polyester。

〃Shows　your　belly　nicely；〃　Harry　said。

〃Let's　settle　down；〃　Barnes　said。

〃A　few　sequins；　you　could　be　Elvis　Presley；〃　Harry　said。

〃Elvis　Presley's　dead。〃

〃Now's　your　chance；〃　Harry　said。

Norman　looked　around。　〃Where's　Levine？〃

〃Levine　didn't　make　it；〃　Barnes　said　briskly。　〃He　got　claustrophobic　in　the　sub　ing　down；　and　had　to　be　taken　back。　One　of　those　things。〃

〃Then　we　have　no　marine　biologist？〃

〃We'll　manage　without　him。〃

〃I　hate　this　damn　jumpsuit；〃　Ted　said。　〃I　really　hate　it。〃

〃