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第54部分（第2页）

〃All　right；〃　Norman　said。　〃Lets　agree　on　what　happened。　Why　did　we　e　here？〃

〃I　thought　it　was　going　to　be　an　airplane　crash。〃

〃Me；　too。〃

〃Okay；　suppose　it　was　an　airplane　crash。〃

〃Fine。　And　what　happened？〃

＇＇367＇＇　〃The　Navy　sent　some　people　down　to　investigate　the　crash；　and　a　problem　developed…〃

〃…Wait　a　minute；　what　problem？〃

〃The　squid？〃

〃No。　Better　a　technical　problem。〃

〃Something　to　do　with　the　storm？〃

〃Life…support　systems　failed　during　the　storm？〃

〃Yes；　good。　Life…support　systems　failed　during　the　storm。〃

〃And　several　people　died　as　a　result？〃

〃Wait　a　minute。　Lets　not　go　so　fast。　What　made　the　lifesupport　systems　fail？〃

Beth　said；　〃The　habitat　developed　a　leak；　and　sea　water　corrupted　the　scrubber　canisters　in　B　Cyl；　releasing　a　toxic　gas。〃

〃Could　that　have　happened？〃　Norman　said。

〃Yes；　easily。〃

〃And　several　people　died　as　a　result　of　that　accident。〃

〃Okay。〃

〃But　we　survived。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Why？〃　Norman　said。

〃We　were　in　the　other　habitat？〃

Norman　shook　his　head。　〃The　other　habitat　was　destroyed；　too。

〃Maybe　it　was　destroyed　later；　with　the　explosives。〃

〃Too　plicated；〃　Norman　said。　〃Lets　keep　it　simple。　It　was　an　accident　which　happened　suddenly　and　unexpectedly。　The　habitat　sprang　a　leak　and　the　scrubbers　failed；　and　as　a　result　most　of　the　people　died；　but　we　didnt　because…〃

〃We　were　in　the　sub？〃

〃Okay；〃　Norman　said。　〃We　were　in　the　sub　when　the　systems　failed；　so　we　survived　and　the　others　didnt。〃

〃Why　were　we　in　the　sub？〃

〃We　were　transferring　the　tapes　according　to　the　schedule。〃

〃And　what　about　the　tapes？〃　Harry　said。　〃What　will　they　show？〃

〃The　tapes　will　confirm　our　story；〃　Norman　said。　〃Everything　will　be　consistent　with　the　story；　including　the　Navy　＇＇368＇＇　people　who　sent　us　down　in　the　first　place；　and　including　us；　too…we　wont　remember　anything　but　this　story。〃

〃And　we　wont　have　the　power　any　more？〃　Beth　said；　frowning。

〃No；〃　Norman　said。　〃Not　any　more。〃

〃Okay；〃　Harry　said。

Beth　seemed　to　think　about　it　longer；　biting　her　lip。　But　finally　she　nodded。　〃Okay。〃

Norman　took　a　deep　breath；　and　looked　at　Beth　and　Harry。　〃Are　we　ready　to　forget　the　sphere；　and　the　fact　that　we　once　had　the　power　to　make　things　happen　by　thinking　them？〃

They　nodded。