Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第17部分 (第4/7頁)

thousand　feet；　we　might　be　able　to　undertake　it　starting　six　months　from　now；　when　we　were　assured　of　a　month　of　good　surface　weather　in　this　region。　Yes　。。。　it's　winter　in　the　South　Pacific　now。　Yes。〃

Beth　said；　〃I　can　see　it　now。　At　great　expense；　the　Navy　brings　a　mysterious　alien　sphere　to　the　surface。　It　is　transported　to　a　top…secret　government　installation　in　Omaha。　Experts　from　every　branch　e　and　try　to　open　it。　Nobody　can。〃

〃Like　Excalibur；〃　Norman　said。

Beth　said；　〃As　time　goes　by；　they　try　stronger　and　stronger　methods。　Eventually　they　try　to　blow　it　open　with　a　small　nuclear　device。　And　still　nothing。　Finally；　nobody　has　any　more　ideas。　The　sphere　sits　there。　Decades　go　by。　The　sphere　is　never　opened。〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃One　great　frustration　for　mankind　。。。〃

Norman　said　to　Harry；　〃Do　you　really　think　that'd　happen？　That　we'd　never　get　it　open？〃

Harry　said；　〃Never　is　a　long　time。〃

〃No；　sir；〃　Barnes　was　saying；　〃given　this　new　＇＇110＇＇　development；　we'll　stay　down　to　the　last　minute。　Weather　topside　is　holding…at　least　six　more　hours；　yes；　sir；　from　the　Metsat　reports…well；　I　have　to　rely　on　that　judgment。　Yes；　sir。　Hourly；　yes；　sir。〃

He　hung　up；　turned　to　the　group。　〃Okay。　We　have　authorization　to　stay　down　six　to　twelve　hours　more；　as　long　as　the　weather　holds。　Let's　try　to　open　that　sphere　in　the　time　remaining。〃

〃Ted's　working　on　it　now；〃　Harry　said。

On　the　video　monitor；　they　saw　Ted　Fielding　slap　the　polished　sphere　with　his　hand　and　shout；　〃Open！　Open　Sesame！　Open　up；　you　son　of　a　bitch！〃

The　sphere　did　not　respond。

〃THE　ANTHROPOMORPHIC　PROBLEM〃

〃Seriously；〃　Norman　said；　〃I　think　somebody　has　to　ask　the　question：　should　we　consider　not　opening　it　up？〃

〃Why？〃　Bar