Sphere (深海圆疑) 原版小说-第27部分
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There was a whirring sound； and the lights flickered； then came back on。 〃We have internal power； we're running on our diesels now。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Look；〃 Ted said； pointing out the porthole。
Outside they saw what looked like a wriggling silver snake。 Then Norman realized it was the cable that linked them to the surface； sliding back and forth across the porthole as it coiled in great loops on the bottom。
〃They've cut us free！〃
〃That's right；〃 Barnes said。 〃They've got full gale…force conditions topside。 They can no longer maintain cables for power and munications。 They can no longer use the submarines。 They've taken all the divers up； but the subs can't e back for us。 At least not for a few days； until the seas calm down。〃
〃Then we're stuck down here？〃
〃That's correct。〃
〃For how long？〃
〃Several days；〃 Barnes said。
〃For how long？〃
〃Maybe as long as a week。〃
〃Jesus Christ；〃 Beth said。
Ted tossed his bag onto the couch。 〃What a fantastic piece of luck；〃 he said。
Beth spun。 〃Are you out of your mind？〃
〃Let's all stay calm；〃 Barnes said。 〃Everything's under control。 This is just a temporary delay。 There's no reason to get upset。〃
But Norman didn't feel upset。 He felt suddenly exhausted。 ＇＇126＇＇ Beth was sulking； angry； feeling deceived； Ted was excited； already planning another excursion to the spacecraft； arranging equipment with Edmunds。
But Norman felt only tired。 His eyes were heavy； he thought he might go to sleep standing there in front of the monitors。 He excused himself hurriedly； went back to his bunk； lay down。 He didn't care that the sheets were clammy； he didn't care that the pillow was cold； he didn't care that diesels were droning and vibrating in the next cylinder。 He thought： This is a very strong avoidance reaction。 And then he was asleep。
BEYOND PLUTO
Norman rolled out of bed and looked for his watch； but he'd gotten into the habit of not wearing one down here。 He had no idea what time it was； how long he had been asleep。 He looked out the porthole； saw nothing but black water。 The grid lights were still off。 He lay back in his bunk and looked at the gray pipes directly over his head； they seemed closer than before； as if they had moved toward him while he slept。 Everything seemed cramped； tighter； more claustrophobic。
Several more days of this； he thought。 God。
He hoped the Navy would think to notify his family。 After so many days； Ellen would start to worry。 He imagined her first calling the FAA； then calling the Navy； trying to find out what had happened。 Of course； no one would know anything； because the project was classified； Ellen would be frantic。
Then he stopped thinking about Ellen。 It was easier； he thought； to worry about your loved ones than to worry about yourself。 But there wasn't any point。 Ellen would be okay。 ＇＇127＇＇ And so would he。 It was just a matter of waiting。 Staying calm； and waiting out the storm。
He got into the shower； wondering if they'd still have hot water while the habitat was on emergency power。 They did； and he felt less stiff after his shower。 It was odd； he thought； to be a thousand feet underwater and to relish the soothing effects of a hot shower。
He dressed and headed for the C Cylinder。 He heard Tina's voice say； 〃…think they'll ever get the sphere open？〃
Beth： 〃Maybe。 I don't know。〃
〃It scares me。〃
〃I don't think there's a reason to be scared。〃
〃It's the unknown；〃 Tina said。
When Norman came in； he found Beth running the videotape； looking at herself and Tina。 〃Sure；〃 Beth said on the videotape； 〃but an unknown thing is not likely to be dangerous or frightening。 It's most likely to be just inexplicable。〃
Tina said； 〃I don't know how you can say that。〃
〃You afraid of snakes？〃 Beth said； onscreen。
Beth snapped off the videotape。 〃Just trying to see if I could figure out why it opened；〃 she said。
〃Any luck？〃 Norman said。
〃Not so far。〃 On the adjacent monitor； they could see the sphere itself。 The sphere was closed。
〃Harry still in there？〃 Norman said。
〃Yes；〃 Beth said。
〃How long has it been now？〃
She looked up at the consoles。 〃A little more than an hour。〃
〃I only slept an hour？〃
〃Yeah。〃
〃I'm starving；〃 Norman said； and he went down to the galley to eat。 All the coconut cake was gone。 He was looking for something else to eat when Beth showed up。
〃I don't know what to do； Norman；〃 she said； frowning。
〃About what？〃
〃They're lying to us；〃 she said。
〃Who is？〃
＇＇128＇＇ 〃Barnes。 The Navy。 Everybody。 This is all a setup； Norman。〃
〃e on； Beth。 No conspiracies； now。 We have enough to worry about without…〃
〃…Just look at this；〃 she said。 She led him back upstairs； flicked on a console； pressed buttons。
〃I started putting it together when Barnes was on the phone；〃 she said。 〃Barnes was talking to somebody right up to the moment when the cable started to coil down。 Except that cable is a thousand feet long； Norman。 They would have broken munications several minutes before unhooking the cable itself。〃
〃Probably； yes 。。。〃
〃So who was Barnes talking to at the last minute？ Nobody。〃
〃Beth 。。。〃
〃Look；〃 she said； pointing to the screen。
SUMMARY DH…SUR/l
0910 BARNES TO SUR/1：
CIVILIAN AND USN PERSONNEL POLLED。 ALTHOUGH ADVISED OF RISKS； ALL PERSONNEL ELECT TO REMAIN DOWN FOR DURATION OF STORM TO CONTINUE INVESTIGATION OF ALIEN SPHERE AND ASSOCIATED SPACECRAFT。
BARNES； USN。
〃You're kidding；〃 Norman said。 〃I thought Barnes wanted to leave。〃
〃He did； but he changed his mind when he saw that last room； and he didn't bother to tell us。 I'd like to kill the bastard；〃 Beth said。 〃You know what this is about； Norman； don't you？〃
Norman nodded。 〃He hopes to find a new weapon。〃
〃Right。 Barnes is a Pentagon…acquisition man； and he wants to find a new weapon。〃
〃But the sphere is unlikely…〃
〃It's not the sphere；〃 Beth said。 〃Barnes doesn't really ＇＇129＇＇ care about the sphere。 He cares about the 'associated spacecraft。' Because； according to congruity theory； it's the spacecraft that is likely to pay off。 Not the sphere。〃
Congruity theory was a troublesome matter for the people who thought about extraterrestrial life。 In a simple way； the astronomers and physicists who considered the possibility of contact with extraterrestrial life imagined wonderful benefits to mankind from such a contact。 But other thinkers； philosophers and historians； did not foresee any benefits to contact at all。
For example； astronomers believed that if we made contact with extraterrestrials； mankind would be so shocked that wars on Earth would cease； and a new era of peaceful cooperation between nations would begin。
But historians thought that was nonsense。 They pointed out that when Europeans discovered the New World…a similarly world…shattering discovery…the Europeans did not stop their incessant fighting。 On the contrary： they fought even harder。 Europeans simply made the New World an extension of pre…existing animosities。 It became another place to fight； and to fight over。
Similarly； astronomers imagined that when mankind met extraterrestrials； there would be an exchange of information and technology； giving mankind a wonderful advancement。
Historians of science thought that was nonsense； too。 They pointed out that what we called 〃science〃 actually consisted of a rather arbitrary conception of the universe； not likely to be shared by other creatures。 Our ideas of science were the ideas of visually oriented； monkey…like creatures who enjoyed changing their physical environment。 If the aliens were blind and municated by odors； they might have evolved a very different science； which described a very different universe。 And they might have made very different choices about the directions their science would explore。 For example； they might ignore the physical world entirely； and instead develop a highly sophisticated science of mind…in other words； the exact opposite of what Earth science had done。 The alien technology might be purely mental； with no visible hardware at all。
＇＇130＇＇ This issue was at the heart of congruity theory； which said that unless the aliens were remarkably similar to us； no exchange of information was likely。 Barnes of course knew that theory； so he knew he wasn't likely to derive any useful technology from the alien sphere。 But he was very
