Sphere (深海圆疑) 原版小说-第23章

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〃Here　we　go；〃　Tina　said。
The　monitor　showed　jagged　lines；　and　then　resolved。　On　the　screen；　Tina　was　saying；　〃…hours　the　tapes　are　transferred　to　the　submarine。〃
Beth：　〃What　for？〃
Tina：　〃That's　so；　if　anything　happens　down　here；　the　submarine　will　automatically　go　to　the　surface。〃
Beth：　〃Oh；　great。　I　won't　think　about　that　too　much。　Where　is　Dr。　Fielding　now？〃
Tina：　〃He　gave　up　on　the　sphere；　and　went　into　the　main　flight　deck　with　Edmunds。〃
On　the　screen；　Tina　stepped　out　of　view。　Beth　remained　alone　in　the　chair；　eating　the　cake；　her　back　to　the　monitor。
Onscreen；　Tina　was　saying；　〃Do　you　think　they'll　ever　get　the　sphere　open？〃
Beth　ate　her　cake。　〃Maybe；〃　she　said。　〃I　don't　know。〃
There　was　a　short　pause；　and　then　on　the　monitor　behind　Beth；　the　door　of　the　sphere　slid　open。
〃Hey！　It　did　open！〃
〃Keep　the　tape　running！〃
Onscreen；　Beth　didn't　notice　the　monitor。　Tina；　still　somewhere　offscreen；　said；　〃It　scares　me。〃
Beth：　〃I　don't　think　there's　a　reason　to　be　scared。〃
Tina：　〃It's　the　unknown。〃
〃Sure；〃　Beth　said；　〃but　an　unknown　thing　is　not　likely　to　be　dangerous　or　frightening。　It's　most　likely　to　be　just　inexplicable。〃
〃I　don't　know　how　you　can　say　that。〃
〃You　afraid　of　snakes？〃　Beth　said；　onscreen。
All　during　this　conversation；　the　sphere　remained　open。
Watching；　Harry　said；　〃Too　bad　we　can't　see　inside　it。〃
〃I　may　be　able　to　help　that；〃　Tina　said。　〃I'll　do　some　image…intensification　work　with　the　puter。〃
〃It　almost　looks　like　there　are　little　lights；〃　Harry　said。　〃Little　moving　lights　inside　the　sphere　。。。〃
Onscreen；　Tina　came　back　into　view。　〃Snakes　don't　bother　me。〃
＇＇120＇＇　〃Well；　I　can't　stand　snakes；〃　Beth　said。　〃Slimy；　cold；　disgusting　things。〃
〃Ah；　Beth；〃　Harry　said；　watching　the　monitor。　〃Got　snake　envy？〃
Onscreen；　Beth　was　saying；　〃If　I　were　a　Martian　who　came　to　Earth　and　I　stumbled　upon　a　snake…a　funny；　cold；　wiggling；　tube…like　life…I　wouldn't　know　what　to　think　of　it。　But　the　chance　that　I　would　stumble　on　a　poisonous　snake　is　very　small。　Less　than　one　percent　of　snakes　are　poisonous。　So；　as　a　Martian；　I　wouldn't　be　in　danger　from　my　discovery　of　snakes；　I'd　just　be　perplexed。　That's　what's　likely　to　happen　with　us。　We'll　be　perplexed。〃
Onscreen；　Beth　was　saying；　〃Anyway；　I　don't　think　we'll　ever　get　the　sphere　open；　no。〃
Tina：　〃I　hope　not。〃
Behind　her　on　the　monitor；　the　sphere　closed。
〃Huh！〃　Harry　said。　〃How　long　was　it　open　all　together？〃　〃Thirty…three　point　four　seconds；〃　Tina　said。
They　stopped　the　tape。　Tina　said；　〃Anybody　want　to　see　it　again？〃　She　looked　pale。
〃Not　right　now；〃　Harry　said。　He　drummed　his　fingers　on　the　arm　of　his　chair；　stared　off；　thinking。
No　one　else　said　anything；　they　just　waited　patiently　for　Harry。　Norman　realized　how　much　the　group　deferred　to　him。　Harry　is　the　person　who　figures　things　out　for　us；　Norman　thought。　We　need　him；　rely　on　him。
〃Okay；〃　Harry　said　at　last。　〃No　conclusions　are　possible。　We　have　insufficient　data。　The　question　is　whether　the　sphere　was　responding　to　something　in　its　immediate　environment；　or　whether　it　just　opened；　for　reasons　of　its　own。　Where's　Ted？〃
〃Ted　left　the　sphere　and　went　to　the　flight　deck。〃
〃Ted's　back；〃　Ted　said；　grinning　broadly。　〃And　I　have　some　real　news。〃
〃So　do　we；〃　Beth　said。　
〃It　can　wait；〃　Ted　said。
〃But…〃
〃…I　know　where　this　ship　went；〃　Ted　said　excitedly。　〃I've　been　analyzing　the　flight　data　summaries　on　the　flight　deck；　＇＇121＇＇　looking　at　the　star　fields；　and　I　know　where　the　black　hole　is　located。〃
〃Ted；〃　Beth　said；　〃the　sphere　opened。〃
〃It　did？　When？〃
〃A　few　minutes　ago。　Then　it　closed　again。〃
〃What　did　the　monitors　show？〃
〃No　biological　hazard。　It　seems　to　be　safe。〃
Ted　looked　at　the　screen。　〃Then　what　the　hell　are　we　doing　here？〃
Barnes　came　in。　〃Two…hour　rest　period　is　over。　Everybody　ready　to　go　back　to　the　ship　for　a　last　look？〃
〃That's　putting　it　mildly；〃　Harry　said。


The　sphere　was　polished；　silent；　closed。　They　stood　around　it　and　stared　at　themselves；　distorted　in　reflection。　Nobody　spoke。　They　just　walked　around　it。
Finally　Ted　said；　〃I　feel　like　this　is　an　IQ　test；　and　I'm　flunking。〃
〃You　mean　like　the　Davies　Message？〃　Harry　said。
〃Oh　that；〃　Ted　said。
Norman　knew　about　the　Davies　Message。　It　was　one　of　the　episodes　that　the　SETI　promoters　wished　to　forget。　In　1979；　there　had　been　a　large　meeting　in　Rome　of　the　scientists　involved　in　the　Search　for　Extraterrestrial　Intelligence。　Basically；　SETI　called　for　a　radio　astronomy　search　of　the　heavens。　Now　the　scientists　were　trying　to　decide　what　sort　of　message　to　search　for。
Emerson　Davies；　a　physicist　from　Cambridge；　England；　devised　a　message　based　on　fixed　physical　constants；　such　as　the　wavelength　of　emitted　hydrogen；　which　were　presumably　the　same　throughout　the　universe。　He　arranged　these　constants　in　a　binary　pictorial　form。
Because　Davies　thought　this　would　be　exactly　the　kind　of　message　an　alien　intelligence　might　send；　he　figured　it　would　be　easy　for　the　SETI　people　to　figure　out。　He　distributed　his　picture　to　everybody　at　the　conference。
Nobody　could　figure　it　out。
When　Davies　explained　it；　they　all　agreed　it　was　a　clever　＇＇122＇＇　idea；　and　a　perfect　message　for　extraterrestrials　to　send。　But　the　fact　remained　that　none　of　them　had　been　able　to　figure　out　this　perfect　message。
One　of　the　people　who　had　tried　to　figure　it　out；　and　had　failed；　was　Ted。
〃Well；　we　didn't　try　very　hard；〃　Ted　said。　〃There　was　a　lot　going　on　at　the　conference。　And　we　didn't　have　you　there；　Harry。〃
〃You　just　wanted　a　free　trip　to　Rome；〃　Harry　said。
Beth　said；　〃Is　it　my　imagination；　or　have　the　door　markingschanged？〃
Norman　looked。　At　first　glance；　the　deep　grooves　appeared　the　same；　but　perhaps　the　pattern　was　different。　If　so；　the　change　was　subtle。
〃We　can　pare　it　with　old　videotapes；〃　Barnes　said。　〃It　looks　the　same　to　me；〃　Ted　said。　〃Anyway；　it's　metal。　I　doubt　it　could　change。〃
〃What　we　call　metal　is　just　a　liquid　that　flows　slowly　at　room　temperature；〃　Harry　said。　〃It's　possible　that　this　metal　is　changing。〃
〃I　doubt　it；〃　Ted　said。
Barnes　said；　〃You　guys　are　supposed　to　be　the　experts。　We　know　this　thing　can　open。　It's　been　open　already。　How　do　we　get　it　open　again？〃
〃We're　trying；　Hal。〃
〃It　doesn't　look　like　you're　doing　anything。〃
From　time　to　time；　they　glanced　at　Harry；　but　Harry　just　stood　there；　looking　at　the　sphere；　his　hand　on　his　chin；　tapping　his　lower　lip　thoughtfully　with　his　finger。
〃Harry？〃
Harry　said　nothing。
Ted　went　up　and　slapped　the　sphere　with　the　flat　of　his　hand。　It　made　a　dull　sound；　but　nothing　happened。　Ted　pounded　the　sphere　with　his　fist；　then　he　winced　and　rubbed　his　hand。
〃I　don't　think　we　can　force　our　way　in。　I　think　it　has　to　let　you　in；〃　Norman　said。　Nobody　said　anything　after　that。　〃My　hand…picked；　crack　team；〃　Barnes　said；　needling　them。　〃And　all　they　can　do　is　stand　around　and　stare　at　it。〃
＇＇123＇＇　〃What　do　you　want　us　to　do；　Hal？　Nuke　it？〃
〃If　you　don't　get　it　open；　there　are　people　who　will　try　that；　eventually。〃　He　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃Meanwhile；　you　got　any　other　bright　ideas？〃
Nobody　did。
〃Okay；〃　Barnes　said。　〃Our　time　is　up。　Let's　go　back　to　the　habitat　and　get　ready　to　be　ferried　to　the　surface。〃

DEPARTURE

Norman　pulled　the　small　navy…issue　bag　from　beneath　his　bunk　in　C　Cylinder。　He　got　his　shaving　kit　from　the　bathroom；　found　his　notebook　and　his　extra　pair　of　socks；　and　zipped　the　bag　shut。
〃I'm　ready。〃
〃Me；　too；〃　Ted　said。　Ted　was　unhappy；　he　didn't　want　to　leave。　〃I　guess　we　can't　delay　it　any　longer。　The　weather's　getting　worse。　They've　got　all　the　divers　out　from　DH…7；　and　now　there's　only　us。〃
Norman　smiled　at　the　prospect　of　being　on　the　surface　again。　I　never　thought　I'd　look　forward　to　seeing　Navy　battleship　gray　on　a　ship；　but　I　do。
〃Where're　the　others？〃　Norman　said。
〃Beth's　already　packed。　I　think　she's　with　Barnes　in　munication。　Harry；　too；　I　guess。〃　Ted　plucked　at　his　jumpsuit。　〃I'll　tell　you　one　thing；　I'll　be　glad　to　see　the　last　of　this　suit。
They　left　the　sleeping　quarters；　heading　down　to　munications。　On　the　way；　they　squeezed　past　Teeny　Fletcher；　who　was　going　toward　B　Cylinder。
〃Ready　to　leave？〃　Norman　said。
〃Yes；　sir；　all　squared　away；〃　Fletcher　said；　but　her　features　were　tense；　and　she　seemed　rushed；　under　pressure。
＇＇124＇＇　〃Aren't　you　going　the　wrong　way？〃　Norman　asked。　
〃Just　checking　the　diesel　backups。〃
Backups？　Norman　thought。　Why　check　the　backups　now　that　they　were　leaving？
〃She　probably　left　something　on　that　she　shouldn't　have；〃　Ted　said；　shaking　his　head。
In　the　munications　console；　the　mood　was　grim。　Barnes　was　on　the　phone　with　the　surface　vessels。　〃Say　that　again；〃　he　said。　〃I　want　to　hear　who's　authorized　that。〃　He　was　frowning；　angry。
They　looked　at　Tina。　〃How's　the　weather　on　the　surface？〃
〃Deteriorating　fast；　apparently。〃
Barnes　spun：　〃Will　you　idiots　keep　it　down？〃
Norman　dropped　his　day　bag　on　the　floor。　Beth　was　sitting　near　the　portholes；　tired；　rubbing　her　eyes。　Tina　was　turning　off　the　monitors；　one　after　another；　when　she　suddenly　stopped。
〃Look。〃
On　one　monitor；　they　saw　the　polished　sphere。　Harry　was　standing　next　to　it。
〃What's　he　doing　there？〃
〃Didn't　he　e　back　with　us？〃
〃I　thought　he　did。〃
〃I　didn't　notice；　I　assumed　he　did。〃
〃God　damn　it；　I　thought　I　told　you　people…〃　Barnes　began；　and