Sphere (深海圆疑) 原版小说-第13章

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〃Look；〃　Ted　said；　〃red；　blue；　yellow。　Primary　colors。　This　is　a　very　big　break。〃
〃Why？〃　Norman　said。
〃Because　it　suggests　that　the　aliens　have　the　same　sensory　equipment　that　we　do…they　may　see　the　universe　the　same　＇＇65＇＇　way；　visually；　in　the　same　colors；　utilizing　the　same　part　of　the　electromagnetic　spectrum。　That's　going　to　help　immeasurably　in　making　contact　with　them。　And　those　black…and…white　markings　。。。　that　must　be　some　of　their　writing！　Can　you　imagine！　Alien　writing！〃　He　smiled　enthusiastically。　〃This　is　a　great　moment；〃　he　said。　〃I　feel　truly　privileged　to　be　here。〃
〃Focus；〃　Barnes　called。　〃Focusing　now；　sir。〃
The　image　became　even　more　blurred。　〃No；　the　other　way。〃
〃Yes　Sir。　Focusing　now。〃
The　image　changed；　slowly　resolved　into　sharp　focus。　〃Uh…oh；〃　Ted　said；　staring　at　the　screen。
They　now　saw　that　the　blurred　knobs　were　actually　three　colored　buttons：　yellow；　red；　and　blue。　The　buttons　were　each　an　inch　in　diameter　and　had　knurled　or　machined　edges。　The　symbols　above　the　buttons　resolved　sharply　into　a　series　of　neatly　stenciled　labels。
From　left　to　right　the　labels　read：　〃Emergency　Ready；〃　〃Emergency　Lock；〃　and　〃Emergency　Open。〃
In　English。
There　was　a　moment　of　stunned　silence。　And　then；　very　softly；　Harry　Adams　began　to　laugh。

THE　SPACECRAFT

〃That's　English；〃　Ted　said；　staring　at　the　screen。　〃Written　English。〃
〃Yeah；〃　Harry　said。　〃Sure　is。〃
〃What's　going　on？〃　Ted　said。　〃Is　this　some　kind　of　joke？〃
〃No；〃　Harry　said。　He　was　calm；　oddly　detached。
＇＇66＇＇　〃How　could　this　spacecraft　be　three　hundred　years　old；　and　carry　instructions　in　modem　English？〃
〃Think　about　it；〃　Harry　said。
Ted　frowned。　〃Maybe；〃　he　said；　〃this　alien　spacecraft　is　somehow　presenting　itself　to　us　in　a　way　that　will　make　us　fortable。〃
〃Think　about　it　some　more；〃　Harry　said。
There　was　a　short　silence。　〃Well；　if　it　is　an　alien　spacecraft…〃
〃It's　not　an　alien　spacecraft；〃　Harry　said。
There　was　another　silence。　Then　Ted　said；　〃Well；　why　don't　you　just　tell　us　all　what　it　is；　since　you're　so　sure　of　yourself！〃
〃All　right；〃　Harry　said。　〃It's　an　American　spacecraft。〃
〃An　American　spacecraft？　Half　a　mile　long？　Made　with　technology　we　don't　have　yet？　And　buried　for　three　hundred　years？〃
〃Of　course；〃　Harry　said。　〃It's　been　obvious　from　the　start。　Right；　Captain　Barnes？〃
〃We　had　considered　it；〃　Barnes　admitted。　〃The　President　had　considered　it。〃
〃That's　why　you　didn't　inform　the　Russians。〃
〃Exactly。〃
By　now　Ted　was　pletely　frustrated。　He　clenched　his　fists；　as　if　he　wanted　to　hit　someone。　He　looked　from　one　person　to　another。　〃But　how　did　you　know？〃
〃The　first　clue；〃　Harry　said；　〃came　from　the　condition　of　the　craft　itself。　It　shows　no　damage　whatever。　Its　condition　is　pristine。　Yet　any　spacecraft　that　crashes　in　water　will　be　damaged。　Even　at　low　entry　velocities…say　two　hundred　miles　an　hour…the　surface　of　water　is　as　hard　as　concrete。　No　matter　how　strong　this　craft　is；　you　would　expect　some　degree　of　damage　from　the　impact　with　the　water。　Yet　it　has　no　damage。〃
〃Meaning？〃
〃Meaning　it　didn't　land　in　the　water。〃
〃I　don't　understand。　It　must　have　flown　here…〃　
〃…It　didn't　fly　here。　It　arrived　here。〃
〃From　where？〃
＇＇67＇＇　〃From　the　future；〃　Harry　said。　〃This　is　some　kind　of　Earth　craft　that　was…will　be…made　in　the　future；　and　has　traveled　backward　in　time；　and　appeared　under　our　ocean；　several　hundred　years　ago。〃
〃Why　would　people　in　the　future　do　that？〃　Ted　groaned。　He　was　clearly　unhappy　to　be　deprived　of　his　alien　craft；　his　great　historical　moment。　He　slumped　in　a　chair　and　stared　dully　at　the　monitor　screens。
〃I　don't　know　why　people　in　the　future　would　do　that；〃　Harry　said。　〃We're　not　there　yet。　Maybe　it　was　an　accident。　Unintended。〃
〃Let's　go　ahead　and　open　it　up；〃　Barnes　said。
〃Opening；　sir。〃
The　robot　hand　moved　forward；　toward　the　〃Open〃　button。　The　hand　pressed　several　times。　There　was　a　clanking　sound；　but　nothing　happened。
〃What's　wrong？〃　Barnes　said。
〃Sir；　we're　not　able　to　impact　the　button。　The　extensor　arm　is　too　large　to　fit　inside　the　panel。〃
〃Great。〃
〃Shall　I　try　the　probe？〃
〃Try　the　probe。〃
The　claw　hand　moved　back；　and　a　thin　needle　probe　extended　out　toward　the　button。　The　probe　slid　forward；　adjusted　position　delicately；　touched　the　button。　It　pushed…and　slipped　off。
〃Trying　again；　sir。〃
The　probe　again　pressed　the　button；　and　again　slid　off。
〃Sir；　the　surface　is　too　slippery。〃
〃Keep　trying。〃
〃You　know；〃　Ted　said　thoughtfully；　〃this　is　still　a　remarkable　situation。　In　one　sense；　it's　even　more　remarkable　than　contact　with　extraterrestrials。　I　was　already　quite　certain　that　extraterrestrial　life　exists　in　the　universe。　But　time　travel！　Frankly；　as　an　astrophysicist　I　had　my　doubts。　From　everything　we　know；　it's　impossible；　contradicted　by　the　laws　of　physics。　And　yet　now　we　have　proof　that　time　travel　is　possible…and　that　our　own　species　will　do　it　in　the　future！〃
Ted　was　smiling；　wide…eyed；　and　happy　again。　You　had　to　＇＇68＇＇　admire　him；　Norman　thought…he　was　so　wonderfully　irrepressible。
〃And　here　we　are；〃　Ted　said；　〃on　the　threshold　of　our　first　contact　with　our　species　from　the　future！　Think　of　it！　We　are　going　to　meet　ourselves　from　some　future　time！〃
The　probe　pressed　again；　and　again；　without　success。
〃Sir；　we　cannot　impact　the　button。〃
〃I　see　that；〃　Barnes　said；　standing　up。　〃Okay；　shut　it　down　and　get　it　out　of　there。　Ted；　looks　like　you're　going　to　get　your　wish　after　all。　We'll　have　to　go　in　and　open　it　up　manually。　Let's　suit　up。〃

INTO　THE　SHIP

In　the　changing　room　in　cylinder　A；　Norman　stepped　into　his　suit。　Tina　and　Edmunds　helped　fit　the　helmet　over　his　head；　and　snap…locked　the　ring　at　the　neck。　He　felt　the　heavy　weight　of　the　rebreather　tanks　on　his　back；　the　straps　pressed　into　his　shoulders。　He　tasted　metallic　air。　There　was　a　crackle　as　his　helmet　inter　came　on。
The　first　words　he　heard　were　〃What　about　'At　the　threshold　of　a　great　opportunity　for　the　human　species'？〃　Norman　laughed；　grateful　for　the　break　in　the　tension。
〃You　find　it　funny？〃　Ted　asked；　offended。
Norman　looked　across　the　room　at　the　suited　man　with　〃FIELDING〃　stenciled　on　his　yellow　helmet。
〃No；〃　Norman　said。　〃I'm　just　nervous。〃
〃Me；　too；〃　Beth　said。
〃Nothing　to　it；〃　Barnes　said。
〃Trust　me。〃
〃What　are　the　three　biggest　lies　in　DH…8？〃　Harry　said；　and　they　laughed　again。
They　crowded　together　into　the　tiny　airlock；　bumping　helmeted　heads；　and　the　bulkhead　hatch　to　the　left　was　sealed；　＇＇69＇＇　the　wheel　spinning。　Barnes　said；　〃Okay；　folks；　just　breathe　easy。〃　He　opened　the　lower　hatch；　exposing　black　water。　The　water　did　not　rise　into　the　partment。　〃The　habitat's　on　positive　pressure；〃　Barnes　said。　〃The　level　won't　e　up。　Now　watch　me；　and　do　this　the　way　I　do。　You　don't　want　to　tear　your　suit。〃　Moving　awkwardly　with　the　weight　of　the　tanks；　he　crouched　down　by　the　hatch；　gripped　the　side　handholds；　and　let　go；　disappearing　with　a　soft　splash。
One　by　one；　they　dropped　down　to　the　floor　of　the　ocean。　Norman　gasped　as　near…freezing　water　enveloped　his　suit；　immediately　he　heard　the　hum　of　a　tiny　fan　as　the　electrical　heaters　in　his　suit　activated。　His　feet　touched　soft　muddy　ground。　He　looked　around　in　the　darkness。　He　was　standing　beneath　the　habitat。　Directly　ahead；　a　hundred　yards　away；　was　the　glowing　rectangular　grid。　Barnes　was　already　striding　forward；　leaning　into　the　current；　moving　slowly　like　a　man　on　the　moon。
〃Isn't　this　fantastic？〃
〃Calm　down；　Ted；〃　Harry　said。
Beth　said；　〃Actually；　it's　odd　how　little　life　there　is　down　here。　Have　you　noticed？　Not　a　sea　fan；　not　a　slug；　not　a　sponge；　not　a　solitary　fish。　Nothing　but　empty　brown　sea　floor。　This　must　be　one　of　those　dead　spots　in　the　Pacific。〃
A　bright　light　came　on　behind　him；　Norman's　own　shadow　was　cast　forward　on　the　bottom。　He　looked　back　and　saw　Edmunds　holding　a　camera　and　light　in　a　bulky　waterproof　housing。
〃We　recording　all　this？〃
〃Yes；　sir。〃
〃Try　not　to　fall　down；　Norman；〃　Beth　laughed。　
〃I'm　trying。〃
They　were　closer　now　to　the　grid。　Norman　felt　better　seeing　the　other　divers　working　there。　To　the　right　was　the　high　fin；　extending　out　of　the　coral；　an　enormous；　smooth　dark　surface　dwarfing　them　as　it　rose　toward　the　surface。
Barnes　led　them　past　the　fin　and　down　into　a　tunnel　cut　in　the　coral。　The　tunnel　was　sixty　feet　long；　narrow；　strung　with　lights。　They　walked　single　file。　It　felt　like　going　down　into　a　mine；　Norman　thought。
＇＇70＇＇　〃This　what　the　divers　cut？〃
〃That's　right。〃
Norman　saw　a　boxy；　corrugated…steel　structure　surrounded　by　pressure　tanks。
〃Airlock　ahead。　We're　almost　there；〃　Barnes　said。　〃Everybody　okay？〃
〃So　far；〃　Harry　said。
They　entered　the　airlock；　and　Barnes　closed　the　door。　Air　hissed　loudly。　Norman　watched　the　water　recede；　down　past　his　faceplate；　then　his　waist；　his　knees；　then　to　the　floor。　The　hissing　stopped；　and　they　passed　through　another　door；　sealing　it　behind　them。
Norman　turned　to　the　metal　hull　of　the　spaceship。　The　robot　had　been　moved　aside。　Norman　felt　very　much　as　if　he　were　standing　alongside　a　big　jetliner…a　curved　metal　surface；　and　a　flush　door。　The　metal　was　a　dull　gray；　which　gave　it　an　ominous　quality。　Despite　himself；　Norman　was　nervous。　Listening　to　the　way　the　others　were　breathing；　he　sensed　they　were　nervous；　too。
〃Okay？〃　Barnes　said。　〃Everybody　h