Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第4部分 (第4/7頁)

ink　I'm　still　in　shock；〃　Norman　said。　〃Do　you　believe　all　this？　Do　you　think　it's　real？〃

〃I　think　that's　real。〃　She　pointed　to　the　blue　manual　next　to　his　puter。

Norman　picked　it　up：　Regulations　Governing　Personnel　＇＇23＇＇　Conduct　During　Classified　Military　Operations。　He　thumbed　through　pages　of　dense　legal　text。

〃It　basically　says；〃　Beth　said；　〃that　you　keep　your　mouth　shut　or　you　spend　a　long　time　in　military　prison。　And　there's　no　calls　in　or　out。　Yes；　Norman；　I　think　it　must　be　real。〃

〃There's　a　spacecraft　down　there？〃

〃There's　something　down　there。　It's　pretty　exciting。〃　She　began　to　speak　more　rapidly。　〃Why；　for　biology　alone；　the　possibilities　are　staggering…everything　we　know　about　life　es　from　studying　life　on　our　own　planet。　But；　in　a　sense；　all　life　on　our　planet　is　the　same。　Every　living　creature；　from　algae　to　human　beings；　is　basically　built　on　the　same　plan；　from　the　same　DNA。　Now　we　may　have　a　chance　to　contact　life　that　is　entirely　different；　different　in　every　way。　It's　exciting；　all　right。〃

Norman　nodded。　He　was　thinking　of　something　else。　〃What　did　you　say　about　no　calls　in　or　out？　I　promised　to　call　Ellen。〃

〃Well；　I　tried　to　call　my　daughter　and　they　told　me　the　mainland links　are　out。　If　you　can　believe　that。　The　Navy's　got　more　satellites　than　admirals；　but　they　swear　there's　no　available　line　to　call　out。　Barnes　said　he'd　approve　a　cable。　That's　it。〃

〃How　old　is　Jennifer　now？〃　Norman　asked；　pleased　to　pull　the　name　from　his　memory。　And　what　was　her　husband's　name？　He　was　a　physicist；　Norman　remembered；　something　like　that。　Sandy　blond　man。　Had　a　beard。　Wore　bow　ties。

〃Nine。　She's　pitching　for　the　Evanston　Little　League　now。　Not　much　of　a　student；　but　a　hell　of　a　pitcher。〃　She　sounded