Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第17部分 (第3/7頁)

sive　sensors：　sound；　and　the　full　electromagnetic　spectrum　from　infrared　to　gamma　and　X…rays。　The　readouts　on　the　sensors　were　displayed　on　a　bank　of　instruments　to　the　left。

Harry　came　in。　〃Getting　anything　yet？〃

Tina　shook　her　head。　〃So　far；　nothing。〃

〃Has　Ted　e　back？〃

〃No；〃　Norman　said。　〃Ted's　still　there。〃

Ted　had　remained　behind　in　the　cargo　bay；　ostensibly　to　help　Edmunds　set　up　the　cameras。　But　in　fact　they　knew　he　would　try　to　open　the　sphere。　They　saw　Ted　now　on　the　second　monitor；　probing　the　grooves；　touching；　pushing。

Harry　smiled。　〃He　hasn't　got　a　prayer。〃

Norman　said；　〃Harry；　remember　when　we　were　in　the　flight　deck；　and　you　said　you　wanted　to　make　out　your　will　because　something　was　missing？〃

＇＇109＇＇　〃Oh；　that；〃　Harry　said。　〃Forget　it。　That's　irrelevant　now。〃

Barnes　was　saying；　〃No；　Mr。　Secretary；　raising　it　to　the　surface　would　be　just　about　impossible…well；　sir；　it　is　presently　located　inside　a　cargo　bay　half　a　mile　inside　the　ship；　and　the　ship　is　buried　under　thirty　feet　of　coral；　and　the　sphere　itself　is　a　good　thirty　feet　across；　it's　the　size　of　a　small　house。　。。。

〃I　just　wonder　what's　in　the　house；〃　Tina　said。

On　the　monitor；　Ted　kicked　the　sphere　in　frustration。

〃Not　a　prayer；〃　Harry　said　again。　〃He'll　never　get　it　open。〃

Beth　came　in。　〃How　are　we　going　to　open　it？〃

Harry　said；　〃How？〃　Harry　stared　thoughtfully　at　the　sphere；　gleaming　on　the　monitor。　There　was　a　long　silence。　〃Maybe　we　can't。〃

〃We　can't　open　it？　You　mean　not　ever？〃

〃That's　one　possibility。〃

Norman　laughed。　〃Ted　would　kill　himself。〃

Barnes　was　saying；　〃Well；　Mr。　Secretary；　if　you　wanted　to　mit　the　necessary　Navy　resources　to　do　a　full…scale　salvage　from　one