Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第12部分 (第2/7頁)

igh　in　the　gloom。　They　came　to　a　branchpoint　in　the　catwalk。　It　was　hard　to　see　with　all　the　pipes　and　struts…like　being　in　a　forest　of　metal。

〃Which　way？〃

Barnes　had　a　wrist　pass；　it　glowed　green。　〃Go　right。〃　They　followed　the　network　of　catwalks　for　ten　minutes　more。　Gradually　Norman　could　see　that　Barnes　was　right：　there　was　a　central　cylinder　constructed　within　the　outer　cylinder；　and　held　away　from　it　by　a　dense　arrangement　of　girders　and　supports。　A　spacecraft　within　a　spacecraft。

〃Why　would　they　build　the　ship　like　this？〃

〃You'd　have　to　ask　them。〃

〃The　reasons　must　have　been　pelling；〃　Barnes　said。　〃The　power　requirements　for　a　double　hull；　with　so　much　lead　shielding　。。。　hard　to　imagine　the　engine　you'd　need　to　make　something　this　big　fly。〃

After　three　or　four　minutes；　they　arrived　at　the　door　on　the　inner　hull。　It　looked　like　the　outer　door。

〃Breathers　back　on？〃

〃I　don't　know。　Can　we　risk　it？〃

Without　waiting；　Beth　flipped　up　the　panel　of　buttons；　pressed　〃OPEN；〃　and　the　door　rumbled　open。　More　darkness　beyond。　They　stepped　through。　Norman　felt　softness　underfoot；　he　shined　his　light　down　on　beige　carpeting。

Their　flashlights　crisscrossed　the　room；　revealing　a　large；　contoured　beige　console　with　three　high…backed；　padded　seats。　The　room　was　clearly　built　for　human　beings。

〃Must　be　the　bridge　or　the　cockpit。〃

But　the　curved　consoles　were　pletely　blank。　There　was　no　instrumentation　of　any　kind。　And　the　seats　were　empty。　They　swung　their　beams　back　and　forth　in　the　darkness。　〃Looks　like　a　mockup；　rather　than　the　real　thing。〃

〃It　can't　be　a　mockup。〃

〃Well；　it　looks　like　one。〃

Norman　ran　his　hand　over　the　smooth　contours　of　the　console。　It　was　nicely　molded；　pleas