Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第12部分 (第5/7頁)

　his　forehead。　He　was　sinking　deeper；　disappearing　inside　the　chair　itself；　being　swallowed　up　by　it。

〃Oh　God　。。。〃

And　then　the　chair　snapped　forward；　pulling　up　tight　before　the　control　console。　And　the　whirring　stopped。　Then　nothing。

〃I　think；〃　Beth　said；　〃that　the　chair　thinks　you　are　going　to　fly　it。〃

〃Umm；〃　Norman　said；　trying　to　control　his　breathing；　his　racing　pulse；　〃I　wonder　how　I　get　out？〃

The　only　part　of　his　body　still　free　were　his　hands。　He　moved　his　fingers；　felt　a　panel　of　buttons　on　the　arms　of　the　chair。　He　pressed　one。

The　chair　slid　back；　opened　like　a　soft　clam；　released　him。　Norman　climbed　out；　and　looked　back　at　the　imprint　of　his　body；　slowly　disappearing　as　the　chair　whirred　and　adjusted　itself。

Harry　poked　one　of　the　leather　pads　experimentally；　heard　the　gurgle。　〃Water…filled。〃

〃Makes　perfect　sense；〃　Barnes　said。　〃Water's　not　pressible。　You　can　withstand　enormous　G…forces　sitting　in　a　chair　like　this。〃

〃And　the　ship　itself　is　built　to　take　great　strains；〃　Ted　said。　〃Maybe　time　travel　is　strenuous？　Structurally　strenuous？〃

〃Maybe。〃　Norman　was　doubtful。　〃But　I　think　Barnes　is　right…this　is　a　machine　that　flew。〃

〃Perhaps　it　just　looks　that　way；〃　Ted　said。　〃After　all；　we　know　how　to　travel　in　space；　but　we　don't　know　how　to　travel　in　time。　We　know　that　space　and　time　are　really　aspects　of　the　same　thing；　space…time。　Perhaps　you're　required　to　fly　in　time　just　the　way　you　fly　in　space。　Maybe　time　travel　and　space　travel　are　more　similar　than　we　think　now。〃

〃Aren't　we　forgetting　something？〃　Beth　said。　〃Where　is　everybody？　If　people　flew　this　thing　in　either　time　or　space；　where　are　they？〃

〃Probably　somewhere　else　on　the　ship。〃

〃I'm　not　so　sure；〃　Harry