Sphere (深海圆疑) 原版小说-第17章

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ation　of　both；　which　is　called＇＇87＇＇　space…time。　This　bowl　is　space…time；　and　objects　moving　on　it　are　moving　in　space…time。　We　don't　think　about　movement　that　way；　but　that's　really　what's　happening。〃
〃It　is？〃
〃Sure。　Take　baseball。〃
〃Idiot　game；〃　Harry　said。　〃I　hate　games。〃
〃You　know　baseball？〃　Ted　said　to　Norman。
〃Yes；〃　Norman　said。
〃Okay。　Imagine　the　batter　hits　a　line　drive　to　the　center　fielder。　The　ball　goes　almost　straight　out　and　takes；　say；　half　a　second。〃
〃Right。〃
〃Now　imagine　the　batter　hits　a　high　pop　fly　to　the　same　center　fielder。　This　time　the　ball　goes　way　up　in　the　air；　and　it　takes　six　seconds　before　the　center　fielder　catches　it。〃
〃Okay。〃
〃Now；　the　paths　of　the　two　balls…the　line　drive　and　the　pop　fly…look　very　different　to　us。　But　both　these　balls　moved　exactly　the　same　in　space…time。〃
〃No；〃　Norman　said。
〃Yes；〃　Ted　said。　〃And　in　a　way；　you　already　know　it。　Suppose　I　ask　you　to　hit　a　high　pop　fly　to　the　center　fielder；　but　to　make　it　reach　the　fielder　in　half　a　second　instead　of　six　seconds。〃
〃That's　impossible；〃　Norman　said。
〃Why？　Just　hit　the　pop　fly　harder。〃
〃If　I　hit　it　harder；　it　will　go　higher　and　end　up　taking　longer。〃
〃Okay；　then　hit　a　low　line　drive　that　takes　six　seconds　to　reach　center　field。〃
〃I　can't　do　that；　either。〃
〃Right；〃　Ted　said。　〃So　what　you　are　telling　me　is　that　you　can't　make　the　ball　do　anything　you　want。　There　is　a　fixed　relationship　governing　the　path　of　the　ball　through　space　and　time。〃
〃Sure。　Because　the　Earth　has　gravity。〃
〃Yes；〃　Ted　said；　〃and　we've　already　agreed　that　gravity　is　a　curvature　of　space…time；　like　the　curve　of　this　bowl。　Any　baseball　on　Earth　must　move　along　the　same　curve　of　＇＇88＇＇　space…time；　as　this　ball　bearing　moves　along　this　bowl。　Look。〃　He　put　the　orange　back　in　the　bowl。　〃Here's　the　Earth。〃　He　put　two　fingers　on　opposite　sides　of　the　orange。　〃Here's　batter　and　fielder。　Now；　roll　the　ball　bearing　from　one　finger　to　the　other；　and　you'll　find　you　have　to　acmodate　the　curve　of　the　bowl。　Either　you　flick　the　ball　lightly　and　it　will　roll　close　to　the　orange；　or　you　can　give　it　a　big　flick　and　it　will　go　way　up　the　side　of　the　bowl；　before　falling　down　again　to　the　other　side。　But　you　can't　make　this　ball　bearing　do　anything　you　want；　because　the　ball　bearing　is　moving　along　the　curved　bowl。　And　that's　what　your　baseball　is　really　doing…it's　moving　on　curved　space…time。〃
Norman　said；　〃I　sort　of　get　it。　But　what　does　this　have　to　do　with　time　travel？〃
〃Well；　we　think　the　gravitational　field　of　the　Earth　is　strong…it　hurts　us　when　we　fall　down…but　in　reality　it's　very　weak。　It's　almost　nonexistent。　So　space…time　around　the　Earth　isn't　very　curved。　Space…time　is　much　more　curved　around　the　sun。　And　in　other　parts　of　the　universe；　it's　very　curved；　producing　a　sort　of　roller…coaster　ride；　and　all　sorts　of　distortions　of　time　may　occur。　In　fact；　if　you　consider　a　black　hole…〃
He　broke　off。
〃Yes；　Ted？　A　black　hole？〃
〃Oh　my　God；〃　Ted　said　softly。
Harry　pushed　his　glasses　up　on　his　nose　and　said；　〃Ted；　for　once　in　your　life；　you　just　might　be　right。〃
They　both　grabbed　for　paper；　began　scribbling。　
〃It　couldn't　be　a　Schwartzschild　hole…〃　
〃…No；　no。　Have　to　be　rotating…〃
〃…Angular　momentum　would　assure　that…〃　
〃…And　you　couldn't　approach　the　singularity…〃
〃…No；　the　tidal　forces…〃
〃…rip　you　apart…〃
〃But　if　you　just　dipped　below　the　event　horizon　。。。〃
〃Is　it　possible？　Did　they　have　the　nerve？〃
The　two　fell　silent；　making　calculations；　muttering　to　themselves。
＇＇89＇＇　〃What　is　it　about　a　black　hole？〃　Norman　said。　But　they　weren't　listening　to　him　any　more。
The　inter　clicked。　Barnes　said；　〃Attention。　This　is　the　Captain　speaking。　I　want　all　hands　in　the　conference　room　on　the　double。〃
〃We're　in　the　conference　room；〃　Norman　said。　
〃On　the　double。　Now。〃
〃We're　already　there；　Hal。〃
〃That　is　all；〃　Barnes　said；　and　the　inter　clicked　off。

THE　CONFERENCE

〃I've　just　been　on　the　scrambler　with　Admiral　Spaulding　of　CincPac　Honolulu；〃　Barnes　said。　〃Apparently　Spaulding　just　learned　that　I　had　taken　civilians　to　saturated　depths　for　a　project　about　which　he　knew　nothing。　He　wasn't　happy　about　it。〃
There　was　a　silence。　They　all　looked　at　him。
〃He　demanded　that　all　the　civilians　be　sent　up　topside。〃　Good；　Norman　thought。　He　had　been　disappointed　by　what　they　had　found　so　far。　The　prospect　of　spending　another　seventy…two　hours　in　this　humid；　claustrophobic　environment　while　they　investigated　an　empty　space　vehicle　did　not　appeal　to　him。
〃I　thought；〃　Ted　said；　〃we　had　direct　authorization　from　the　President。〃
〃We　do；〃　Barnes　said；　〃but　there　is　the　question　of　the　storm。〃
〃What　storm？〃　Harry　said。
〃They're　reporting　fifteen…knot　winds　and　southeast　swells　on　the　surface。　It　looks　like　a　Pacific　cyclone　is　headed　our　way　and　will　reach　us　within　twenty…four　hours。〃
＇＇90＇＇　〃There's　going　to　be　a　storm　here？〃　Beth　said。
〃Not　here；〃　Barnes　said。　〃Down　here　we　won't　feel　anything；　but　it'll　be　rough　on　the　surface。　All　our　surface　support　ships　may　have　to　pull　out　and　steam　for　protected　harbors　in　Tonga。〃
〃So　we'd　be　left　alone　down　here？〃
〃For　twenty…four　to　forty…eight　hours；　yes。　That　wouldn't　be　a　problem…we're　entirely　self…sufficient…but　Spaulding　is　nervous　about　pulling　surface　support　when　there　are　civilians　below。　I　want　to　know　your　feelings。　Do　you　want　to　stay　down　and　continue　exploring　the　ship；　or　leave？〃
〃Stay。　Definitely；〃　Ted　said。　Barnes　said；　〃Beth？〃
〃I　came　here　to　investigate　unknown　life；〃　Beth　said；　〃but　there　isn't　any　life　on　that　ship。　It　just　isn't　what　I　thought　it　would　be…hoped　it　would　be。　I　say　we　go。〃
Barnes　said；　〃Norman？〃
〃Let's　admit　the　truth；〃　Norman　said。　〃We're　not　really　trained　for　a　saturated　environment　and　we're　not　really　fortable　down　here。　At　least　I'm　not。　And　we're　not　the　best　people　to　evaluate　this　spacecraft。　At　this　point；　the　Navy'd　be　much　better　off　with　a　team　of　NASA　engineers。　I　say；　go。〃
〃Harry？〃
〃Let's　get　the　hell　out；〃　Harry　said。
〃Any　particular　reason？〃　Barnes　said。
〃Call　it　intuition。〃
Ted　said；　〃I　can't　believe　you　would　say　that；　Harry；　just　when　we　have　this　fabulous　new　idea　about　the　ship…
〃That's　beside　the　point　now；〃　Barnes　said　crisply。　〃I'll　make　the　arrangements　with　the　surface　to　pull　us　out　in　another　twelve　hours。〃
Ted　said；　〃God　damn　it！〃
But　Norman　was　looking　at　Barnes。　Barnes　wasn't　upset。　He　wants　to　leave；　he　thought。　He's　looking　for　an　excuse　to　leave；　and　we're　providing　his　excuse。
〃Meantime；〃　Barnes　said；　〃we　can　make　one　and　perhaps　even　two　more　trips　to　the　ship。　We'll　rest　for　the　next　two　hours；　and　then　go　back。　That's　all　for　now。〃
＇＇91＇＇　〃I　have　more　I'd　like　to　say…〃
〃That's　all；　Ted。　The　vote's　been　taken。　Get　some　rest。〃　As　they　headed　toward　their　bunks；　Barnes　said；　〃Beth；　I'd　like　a　word　with　you；　please。〃
〃What　about？〃
〃Beth；　when　we　go　back　to　the　ship；　I　don't　want　you　pushing　every　button　you　e　across。〃
〃All　I　did　was　turn　on　the　lights；　Hal。〃
〃Yes；　but　you　didn't　know　that　when　you…〃
〃…Sure　I　did。　The　button　said　'ROOM　LIGHTS。'　It　was　pretty　clear。〃
As　they　moved　off；　they　heard　Beth　say；　〃I'm　not　one　of　your　little　Navy　people　you　can　order　around；　Hal…〃　and　then　Barnes　said　something　else；　and　the　voices　faded。
〃Damn　it；〃　Ted　said。　He　kicked　one　of　the　iron　walls；　it　rang　hollowly。　They　passed　into　C　Cylinder；　on　their　way　to　the　bunks。　〃I　can't　believe　you　people　want　to　leave；〃　Ted　said。　〃This　is　such　an　exciting　discovery。　How　can　you　walk　away　from　it？　Especially　you；　Harry。　The　mathematical　possibilities　alone！　The　theory　of　the　black　hole…〃
〃…I'll　tell　you　why；〃　Harry　said。　〃I　want　to　go　because　Barnes　wants　to　go。〃
〃Barnes　doesn't　want　to　go；〃　Ted　said。　〃Why；　he　put　it　to　a　vote…〃
〃…I　know　what　he　did。　But　Barnes　doesn't　want　to　look　as　if　he's　made　the　wrong　decision　in　the　eyes　of　his　superiors；　or　as　if　he's　backing　down。　So　he　let　us　decide。　But　I'm　telling　you；　Barnes　wants　to　go。〃
Norman　was　surprised：　the　cliché　image　of　mathematicians　was　that　they　had　their　heads　in　the　clouds；　were　absent…minded；　inattentive。　But　Harry　was　astute；　he　didn't　miss　a　thing。
〃Why　would　Barnes　want　to　go？〃　Ted　said。
〃I　think　it's　clear；〃　Harry　said。　〃Because　of　the　storm　on　the　surface。〃
〃The　storm　isn't　here　yet；〃　Ted　said。
〃No；〃　Harry　said。　〃And　when　it　es；　we　don't　know　how　long　it　will　last。〃
〃Barnes　said　twenty…four　to　forty…eight　hours…〃
＇＇92＇＇　〃Neither　Barnes　nor　anyone　else　can　predict　how　long　the　storm　will　last；〃　Harry　said。　〃What　if　it　lasts　five　days？〃
〃We　can　hold　out　that　long。　We　have　air　and　supplies　for　five　days。　What're　you　so　worried　about？〃
〃I'm　not　worried；〃　Harry　said。　〃But　I　think　Barnes　is　worried。〃
〃Nothing　will　go　wrong；　for　Christ's　sake；〃　Ted　said。　〃I　think　we　should　stay。〃　And　then　there　was　a　squishing　sound。　They　looked　down　at　the　all…weather　carpeting　at　their　feet。　The　carpet　was　dark；　soaked。
〃What's　that？〃
〃I'd　say　it　was　water；〃　Harry　said。
〃Salt　water？〃　Ted　said；　bending　over；　touching　the　damp　spot。　He　licked　his　finger。　〃Doesn't　taste　salty。〃
From　above　them；　a　voice　said；　〃That's　because　it's　urine。〃　Looking　up；　they　saw　Teeny　Fletcher　standing　on　a　platform　among　a　network　of　pipes　near　the　curved　top　of　the　cylinder。　〃Everything's　under　control；　gentleme