Sphere (深海圆疑) 原版小说-第15部分

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〃A　black　hole；〃　Harry　said；　〃is　a　dead；　pressed　star。　Basically；　a　star　is　like　a　big　beach　ball　inflated　by　the　atomic　explosions　occurring　inside　it。　When　a　star　gets　old；　and　runs　out　of　nuclear　fuel；　the　ball　collapses　to　a　much　smaller　size。　If　it　collapses　enough；　it　bees　so　dense　and　it　has　so　much　gravity　that　it　keeps　on　collapsing；　squeezing　down　on　itself　until　it　is　very　dense　and　very　small…only　a　few　miles　in　diameter。　Then　it's　a　black　hole。　Nothing　else　in　the　universe　is　as　dense　as　a　black　hole。〃
〃So　they're　black　because　they're　dead？〃
〃No。　They're　black　because　they　trap　all　the　light。　Black　holes　have　so　much　gravity；　they　pull　everything　into　them；　like　vacuum　cleaners…all　the　surrounding　interstellar　gas　and　dust；　and　even　light　itself。　They　just　suck　it　right　up。〃
〃They　suck　up　light？〃　Norman　said。　He　found　it　hard　to　think　of　that。
〃Yes。〃
〃So　what　were　you　two　so　excited　about；　with　your　calculations？〃
〃Oh；　it's　a　long　story；　and　it's　just　speculation。〃　Harry　yawned。　〃It　probably　won't　amount　to　anything；　anyway。　Talk　about　it　later？〃
〃Sure；〃　Norman　said。
Harry　rolled　over；　went　to　sleep。　Ted　was　still　in　the　showers；　hacking　and　sputtering。　Norman　went　back　to　D　Cyl；　to　Tina's　console。
〃Did　Harry　find　you　all　right？〃　he　said。　〃I　know　he　wanted　to　see　you。〃
〃Yes；　sir。　And　I　have　the　information　he　requested　now。　Why？　Did　you　want　to　make　out　your　will；　too？〃
Norman　frowned。
〃Dr。　Adams　said　he　didn't　have　a　will　and　he　wanted　to　make　one。　He　seemed　to　feel　it　was　quite　urgent。　Anyway；　I　checked　with　the　surface　and　you　can't　do　it。　It's　some　legal　problem　about　it　being　in　your　own　handwriting；　you　can't　transmit　your　will　over　electronic　lines。〃
〃I　see。〃
＇＇94＇＇　〃I'm　sorry；　Dr。　Johnson。　Should　I　tell　the　others　as　well？〃
〃No；〃　Norman　said。　〃Don't　bother　the　others。　We'll　be　going　to　the　surface　soon。　Right　after　we　have　one　last　look　at　the　ship。〃

THE　LARGE　GLASS

This　time　they　split　up　inside　the　spaceship。　Barnes；　Ted；　and　Edmunds　continued　forward　in　the　vast　cargo　bays；　to　search　the　parts　of　the　ship　that　were　still　unexplored。　Norman；　Beth；　and　Harry　stayed　in　what　they　now　called　the　flight　deck；　looking　for　the　flight　recorder。
Ted's　parting　words　were　〃It　is　a　far；　far　better　thing　that　I　do；　than　I　have　ever　done。〃　Then　he　set　off　with　Barnes。　Edmunds　left　them　a　small　video　monitor　so　they　could　see　the　progress　of　the　other　team　in　the　forward　section　of　the　ship。　And　they　could　hear：　Ted　chattered　continuously　to　Barnes；　giving　his　views　about　structural　features　of　the　ship。　The　design　of　the　big　cargo　bays　reminded　Ted　of　the　stonework　of　the　ancient　Mycenaeans　in　Greece；　particularly　the　Lion　Gate　ramp　at　Mycenae。　。。。
〃Ted　has　more　irrelevant　facts　at　his　fingertips　than　any　man　I　know；〃　Harry　said。　〃Can　we　turn　the　volume　down？〃　Yawning；　Norman　turned　the　monitor　down。　He　was　tired。　The　bunks　in　DH…8　were　damp；　the　electric　blankets　heavy　and　clinging。　Sleep　had　been　almost　impossible。　And　then　Beth　had　e　storming　in　after　her　talk　with　Barnes。
She　was　still　angry　now。　〃God　damn　Barnes；〃　she　said。　〃Where　does　he　get　off？〃
〃He's　doing　the　best　he　can；　like　everyone　else；〃　Norman　said。
She　spun。　〃You　know；　Norman；　sometimes　you're　too　＇＇95＇＇　psychological　and　understanding。　The　man　is　an　idiot。　A　plete　idiot。〃
〃Let's　just　find　the　flight　recorder；　shall　we？〃　Harry　said。　〃That's　the　important　thing　now。〃　Harry　was　following　the　umbilicus　cable　that　ran　out　the　back　of　the　mannequin；　into　the　floor。　He　was　lifting　up　floor　panels；　tracing　the　wires　aft。
〃I'm　sorry；〃　Beth　said；　〃but　he　wouldn't　speak　like　that　to　a　man。　Certainly　not　to　Ted。　Ted's　hogging　the　whole　show；　and　I　don't　see　why　he　should　be　allowed　to。〃
〃What　does　Ted　have　to　do　with…〃　Norman　began。　
〃…The　man　is　a　parasite；　that's　what　he　is。　He　takes　the　ideas　of　others　and　promotes　them　as　his　own。　Even　the　way　he　quotes　famous　sayings…it's　outrageous。〃
〃You　feel　he　takes　other　people's　ideas？〃　Norman　said。　
〃Listen；　back　on　the　surface；　I　mentioned　to　Ted　that　we　ought　to　have　some　words　ready　when　we　opened　this　thing。　And　the　next　thing　I　know；　Ted's　making　up　quotes　and　positioning　himself　in　front　of　the　camera。〃
〃Well　。。。〃
〃Well　what；　Norman？　Don't　well　me；　for　Christ's　sake。　It　was　my　idea　and　he　took　it　without　so　much　as　a　thank　you。〃
〃Did　you　say　anything　to　him　about　it？〃　Norman　said。　
〃No；　I　did　not　say　anything　to　him　about　it。　I'm　sure　he　wouldn't　remember　if　I　did；　he'd　go；　'Did　you　say　that；　Beth？　I　suppose　you　might　have　mentioned　something　like　that；　yes。　。。。'　〃
〃I　still　think　you　should　talk　to　him。〃
〃Norman；　you're　not　listening　to　me。〃
〃If　you　talked　to　him；　at　least　you　wouldn't　be　so　angry　about　it　now。〃
〃Shrink　talk；〃　she　said；　shaking　her　head。　〃Look；　Ted　does　whatever　he　wants　on　this　expedition；　he　makes　his　stupid　speeches；　whatever　he　wants。　But　I　go　through　the　door　first　and　Barnes　gives　me　hell。　Why　shouldn't　I　go　first？　What's　wrong　with　a　woman　being　the　first；　for　once　in　the　history　of　science？〃
〃Beth…〃
〃…And　then　I　had　the　gall　to　turn　on　the　lights。　You　know　what　Barnes　said　about　that？　He　said　I　might　have　started　＇＇96＇＇　a　short…circuit　and　put　us　all　in　jeopardy。　He　said　I　didn't　know　what　I　was　doing。　He　said　I　was　impulsive。　Jesus。　Impulsive。　Stone…age　military　cretin。〃
〃Turn　the　volume　back　up；〃　Harry　said。　〃I'd　rather　hear　Ted。〃
〃e　on；　guys。〃
〃We're　all　under　a　lot　of　pressure；　Beth；〃　Norman　said。　〃It's　going　to　affect　everybody　in　different　ways。〃
She　glared　at　Norman。　〃You're　saying　Barnes　was　right？〃
〃I'm　saying　we're　all　under　pressure。　Including　him。　Including　you。〃
〃Jesus；　you　men　always　stick　together。　You　know　why　I'm　still　an　assistant　professor　and　not　tenured？〃
〃Your　pleasant；　easygoing　personality？〃　Harry　said。
〃I　can　do　without　this。　I　really　can。〃
〃Beth；〃　Harry　said；　〃you　see　the　way　these　cables　are　going？　They're　running　toward　that　bulkhead　there。　See　if　they　go　up　the　wall　on　the　other　side　of　the　door。〃
〃You　trying　to　get　rid　of　me？〃
〃If　possible。〃
She　laughed；　breaking　the　tension。　〃All　right；　I'll　look　on　the　other　side　of　the　door。〃
When　she　was　gone；　Harry　said；　〃She's　pretty　worked　up。〃　
Norman　said；　〃You　know　the　Ben　Stone　story？〃
〃Which　one？〃
〃Beth　did　her　graduate　work　in　Stone's　lab。〃
〃Oh。〃
Benjamin　Stone　was　a　biochemist　at　BU。　A　colorful；　engaging　man；　Stone　had　a　reputation　as　a　good　researcher　who　used　his　graduate　students　like　lab　assistants；　taking　their　results　as　his　own。　In　this　exploitation　of　others'　work；　Stone　was　not　unique　in　the　academic　munity；　but　he　proceeded　a　little　more　ruthlessly　than　his　colleagues。
〃Beth　was　living　with　him　as　well。〃
〃Uh…huh。〃
〃Back　in　the　early　seventies。　Apparently；　she　did　a　series　of　important　experiments　on　the　energetics　of　ciliary　inclusion　bodies。　They　had　a　big　argument；　and　Stone　broke　off　his　relationship　with　her。　She　left　the　lab；　and　he　published　＇＇97＇＇　five　papers…all　her　work…without　her　name　on　them。〃
〃Very　nice；〃　Harry　said。　〃So　now　she　lifts　weights？〃
〃Well；　she　feels　mistreated；　and　I　can　see　her　point。〃
〃Yeah；〃　Harry　said。　〃But　the　thing　is；　lie　down　with　dogs；　get　up　with　fleas；　you　know　what　I　mean？〃
〃Jesus；〃　Beth　said；　returning。　〃This　is　like　'The　girl　who's　raped　is　always　asking　for　it；'　is　that　what　you're　saying？〃
〃No；〃　Harry　said；　still　lifting　up　floor　panels；　following　the　wires。　〃But　sometimes　you　gotta　ask　what　the　girl　is　doing　in　a　dark　alley　at　three　in　the　morning　in　a　bad　part　of　town。〃
〃I　was　in　love　with　him。〃
〃It's　still　a　bad　part　of　town。〃
〃I　was　twenty…two　years　old。〃
〃How　old　do　you　have　to　be？〃
〃Up　yours；　Harry。〃
Harry　shook　his　head。　〃You　find　the　wires；　Butch？〃
〃Yes；　I　found　the　wires。　They　go　into　some　kind　of　a　glass　grid。〃
〃Let's　have　a　look；〃　Norman　said；　going　next　door。　He'd　seen　flight　recorders　before；　they　were　long　rectangular　metal　boxes；　reminiscent　of　safe…deposit　boxes；　painted　red　or　bright　orange。　If　this　was…
He　stopped。
He　was　looking　at　a　transparent　glass　cube　one　foot　on　each　side。　Inside　the　cube　was　an　intricate　grid　arrangement　of　fine　glowing　blue　lines。　Between　the　glowing　lines；　blue　lights　flickered　intermittently。　There　were　two　pressure　gauges　mounted　on　top　of　the　cube；　and　three　pistons；　and　there　were　a　series　of　silver　stripes　and　rectangles　on　the　outer　surface　on　the　left　side。　It　didn't　look　like　anything　he　had　seen　before。
〃Interesting。〃　Harry　peered　into　the　cube。　〃Some　kind　of　optronic　memory；　is　my　guess。　We　don't　have　anything　like　it。〃　He　touched　the　silver　stripes　on　the　outside。　〃Not　paint；　it's　some　plastic　material。　Probably　machine…readable。〃
〃By　what？　Certainly　not　us。〃
〃No。　Probably　a　robot　recovery　device　of　some　kind。〃
〃And　the　pressure　gauges？〃
〃The　cube　is　filled　with　some　kind　of　gas；　under　pressure。
＇＇98＇＇　Maybe　it　contains　biological　ponents；　to　attain　that　pactness。　In　any　case；　I'll　bet　this　large　glass　is　a　memory　device。〃
〃A　flight　recorder？〃
〃Their　equivalent；　yes。〃
〃How　do　we　access　it？〃
〃Watch　this；〃　Beth　said；　going　back　to　the　flight　deck。　She　began　pushing　sections　of　the　console；　activating　it。　〃Don't　tell　Barnes；〃　she　said　over　her　shoulder。
〃How　do　you　know　where　to　press？〃
〃I　don't　think　it　matters；〃　she　said。　〃I　think　the　console　can　sense　where　you　are。〃
〃The　control　panel　keeps　track　of　the　pilot？〃
〃Something　like　that。〃
In　front　of　them；　a　section　of　the　console　glowed；　making　a　screen；　yellow　on　black。

RV…LHOOQ　DI U。S。S。　STAR　VOYAGER

Then　nothing。
Harry　said；　〃Now　we'll　get　the　bad　news。〃
〃What　bad　news？〃　Norman　said。　And　he　wondered：　Why　had　Harry　stayed　behind　to　look　for　the　flight　recorder；　instead　of　going　with　Ted　and　Barnes　to　explore　the　rest　of　the　ship？　Why　was　he　so　interested　in　the　past　history　of　this　vessel？
〃Maybe　it　won't　be　bad；〃　Harry　said。
〃Why　do　you　think　it　might　be？〃
〃Because；〃　Harry　said；　〃if　you　consider　it　logically；　something　vitally　important　is　missing　from　this　ship…〃
＇＇99＇＇　At　that　moment；　the　screen　filled　with　columns：

SHIP　SYSTEMS PROPULSION　SYSTEMS
LIFE　SYSTEMS WASTE　MANAG　（V9）
DATA　SYSTEMS STATUS　OM2　（OUTER）
QUARTERMASTER STATUS　OM3　（INNER）
FLIGHT　RECORDS STATUS　OM4　（FORE）
CORE　OPERATIONS STATUS　DV7　（AFT）
DECK　CONTROL STATUS　V　（SUMMA）
INTEGRATION　（DIRECT）　 STATUS　REC　（2）　
LSS　TEST　1。0 LINE　A9…11
LSS　TEST　2。0 LINE　A　12…BX
LSS　TEST　3。0 STABILIX

〃What's　your　pleasure？〃　Beth　said；　hands　on　the　console。　〃Flight　records；〃　Harry　said。　He　bit　his　lip。

FLIGHT　DATA　SUMMARIES　RV…LHOOQ　
FDS　01/01/43…12/31/45
FDS　01/01/46…12/31/48　
FDS　01/01/49…12/31/51　
FDS　01/01/52…12/31/53　
FDS　01/01/54…12/31/54　
FDS　01/01/55…06/31/55　
FDS　07/01/55…12/31/55　
FDS　01/01/56…01/31/56　
FDS　02/01/56…ENTRY　EVENT　
FDS　ENTRY　EVENT
FDS　ENTRY　EVENT　SUMMARY　
8&6　！！OZ/010/Odd…000/XXX/X　
FS　XXX/X％　^/XXX…X@X/X！X/X

〃What　do　you　make　of　that？〃　Norman　said。
Harry　was　peering　at　the　screen。　〃As　you　see；　the　earliest　records　are　in　three…year　intervals。　Then　they're　shorter；　one　year；　then　six　months；　and　finally　one　month。　Then　this　entry　event　business。〃
〃So　they　were　recording　more　and　more　carefully；〃　Beth　said。　〃As　the　ship　approached　the　entry　event；　whatever　it　was。〃
〃I　have　a　pretty　good　idea　what　it　was；〃　Harry　said。　〃I　just　can't　believe　that…let's