Sphere (深海圆疑) 原版小说-第14部分

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e。〃
〃Personally；〃　Beth　said；　〃I　couldn't　be　more　pleased。〃　She　bit　her　lip。
〃You　don't　look　pleased；〃　Norman　said。
〃I'll　tell　you；〃　Beth　said。　〃I　can't　help　being　nervous。　Ten　years　ago；　Bill　Jackson　at　Stanford　ran　a　series　of　weekend　seminars　on　extraterrestrial　life。　This　was　right　after　he　won　the　Nobel　prize　in　chemistry。　He　split　us　into　two　groups。　One　group　designed　the　alien　life　form；　and　worked　it　all　out　scientifically。　The　other　group　tried　to　figure　out　the　life　form；　and　municate　with　it。　Jackson　presided　over　the　whole　thing　as　a　hard　scientist；　not　letting　anybody　get　carried　away。　One　time　we　brought　in　a　sketch　of　a　proposed　creature　and　he　said；　very　tough；　'Okay；　where's　the　anus？'　That　was　his　criticism。　But　many　animals　on　Earth　have　no　anus。　There　are　all　kinds　of　excretory　mechanisms　that　don't　require　a　special　orifice。　Jackson　assumed　an　anus　was　necessary；　but　it　isn't。　And　now　。。。〃　She　shrugged。　〃Who　knows　what　we'll　find？〃
＇＇63＇＇　〃We'll　know；　soon　enough；〃　Ted　said。
The　inter　clicked。　〃Captain　Barnes；　the　divers　have　the　airlock　mounted　in　place。　The　robot　is　now　ready　to　enter　the　spacecraft。〃
Ted　said；　〃What　robot？〃

THE　DOOR

〃I　don't　think　it's　appropriate　at　all；〃　Ted　said　angrily。　〃We　came　down　here　to　make　a　manned　entry　into　this　alien　spacecraft。　I　think　we　should　do　what　we　came　here　to　do…make　a　manned　entry。〃
〃Absolutely　not；〃　Barnes　said。　〃We　can't　risk　it。〃
〃You　must　think　of　this；〃　Ted　said；　〃as　an　archaeological　site。　Greater　than　Chichén　Itzá；　greater　than　Troy；　greater　than　Tutankhamen's　tomb。　Unquestionably　the　most　important　archaeological　site　in　the　history　of　mankind。　Do　you　really　intend　to　have　a　damned　robot　open　that　site？　Where's　your　sense　of　human　destiny？〃
〃Where's　your　sense　of　self…preservation？〃　Barnes　said。
〃I　strongly　object；　Captain　Barnes。〃
〃Duly　noted；〃　Barnes　said；　turning　away。　〃Now　let's　get　on　with　it。　Tina；　give　us　the　video　feed。〃
Ted　sputtered；　but　he　fell　silent　as　two　large　monitors　in　front　of　them　clicked　on。　On　the　left　screen；　they　saw　the　plex　tubular　metal　scaffolding　of　the　robot；　with　exposed　motors　and　gears。　The　robot　was　positioned　before　the　curved　gray　metal　wall　of　the　spacecraft。
Within　that　wall　was　a　door　that　looked　rather　like　an　airliner　door。　The　second　screen　gave　a　closer　view　of　the　door；　taken　by　the　video　camera　mounted　on　the　robot　itself。　〃It's　rather　similar　to　an　airplane　door；〃　Ted　said。
＇＇64＇＇　Norman　glanced　at　Harry；　who　smiled　enigmatically。　Then　he　looked　at　Barnes。　Barnes　did　not　appear　surprised。　Barnes　already　knew　about　the　door；　he　realized。
〃I　wonder　how　we　can　account　for　such　parallelism　in　door　design；〃　Ted　said。　〃The　likelihood　of　its　occurring　by　chance　is　astronomically　small。　Why；　this　door　is　the　perfect　size　and　shape　for　a　human　being！〃
〃That's　right；〃　Harry　said。
〃It's　incredible；〃　Ted　said。　〃Quite　incredible。〃　Harry　smiled；　said　nothing。
Barnes　said；　〃Let's　find　control　surfaces。〃
The　robot　video　scanner　moved　left　and　right　across　the　spacecraft　hull。　It　stopped　on　the　image　of　a　rectangular　panel　mounted　to　the　left　of　the　door。
〃Can　you　open　that　panel？〃
〃Working　on　it　now；　sir。〃
Whirring；　the　robot　claw　extended　out　toward　the　panel。　But　the　claw　was　clumsy；　it　scraped　against　the　metal；　leaving　a　series　of　gleaming　scratches。　But　the　panel　remained　closed。
〃Ridiculous；〃　Ted　said。　〃It's　like　watching　a　baby。〃
The　claw　continued　to　scratch　at　the　panel。
〃We　should　be　doing　this　ourselves；〃　Ted　said。
〃Use　suction；〃　Barnes　said。
Another　arm　extended　out；　with　a　rubber　sucker。　〃Ah；　the　plumber's　friend；〃　Ted　said　disdainfully。
As　they　watched；　the　sucker　attached　to　the　panel；　flattened。　Then；　with　a　click；　the　panel　lifted　open。
〃At　last！〃
〃I　can't　see。　。。。〃
The　view　inside　the　panel　was　blurred；　out　of　focus。　They　could　distinguish　what　appeared　to　be　a　series　of　colored　round　metal　protrusions；　red；　yellow；　and　blue。　There　were　also　intricate　black…and…white　symbols　above　the　knobs。
〃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。