mc.theandromedastrein-第21部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


r　and　shook　him　hard。
　
　　　Peter　Jackson　opened　his　eyes；　just　for　a　moment；　and　said；　〃Go。。。away。。。〃　
　
　　　Hall　continued　to　shake　him；　but　Jackson　relaxed；　going　limp；　his　body　slipping　back　to　its　unresponsive　state。　Hall　gave　up；　returning　to　his　physical　examination。　The　lungs　were　clear　and　the　heart　seemed　normal。　There　was　sm。；　tenseness　of　the　abdomen；　and　Jackson　retched　once；　bringing　up　some　bloody　drooling　material。　Quickly；　Hall　did　a　basolyte　test　for　blood：　it　was　positive。　He　did　a　rectal　exam　and　tested　the　stool。　It　was　also　positive　for　blood。
　
　　　He　turned　to　the　technician；　who　had　drawn　all　the　bloods　and　was　feeding　the　tubes　into　the　puter　analysis　apparatus　in　one　corner。
　
　　　〃We've　got　a　GI　bleeder　here；〃　he　said。　〃How　soon　will　the　results　be　back？〃
　　　She　pointed　to　a　TV　screen　mounted　near　the　ceiling。　〃The　lab　reports　are　flashed　back　as　soon　as　they　e　in。　They　are　displayed　there；　and　on　the　console　in　the　other　room。　The　easy　ones　e　back　first。　We　should　have　hematocrit　in　two　minutes。〃
　　　Hall　waited。　The　screen　glowed；　the　letters　printing　out：
　
　　　
　　　JACKSON；　PETER　LABORATORY　ANALYSES
　
　　　TEST：　NORMAL：　VALUE
　
　　　HEMATOCRIT：　38…54：　21
　
　　　〃Half　normal；〃　Hall　said。　He　slapped　an　oxygen　mask　on　Jackson's　face；　fixed　the　straps；　and　said；　〃We'll　need　at　least　four　units。　Plus　two　of　plasma。〃
　　　〃I'll　order　them。〃
　　　〃To　start　as　soon　as　possible。〃
　
　　　She　went　to　phone　the　blood　bank　on　Level　II　and　asked　them　to　hurry　on　the　requisition。　Meantime；　Hall　turned　his　attention　to　the　child。
　
　　　It　had　been　a　long　time　since　he　had　examined　an　infant；　and　he　had　forgotten　how　difficult　it　could　be。　Every　time　he　tried　to　look　at　the　eyes；　the　child　shut　them　tightly。　Every　time　he　looked　down　the　throat；　the　child　closed　his　mouth。　Every　time　he　tried　to　listen　to　the　heart；　the　child　shrieked；　obscuring　all　heart　sounds。
　
　　　Yet　he　persisted；　remembering　what　Stone　had　said。　These　two　people；　dissimilar　though　they　were；　nonetheless　represented　the　only　survivors　of　Piedmont。　Somehow　they　had　managed　to　beat　the　disease。　That　was　a　link　between　the　two；　between　the　shriveled　old　man　vomiting　blood　and　the　pink　young　child；　howling　and　screaming。
　
　　　At　first　glance；　they　were　as　different　as　possible；　they　were　at　opposite　ends　of　the　spectrum；　sharing　nothing　in　mon。
　
　　　And　yet　there　must　be　something　in　mon。
　
　　　It　took　Hall　half　an　hour　to　finish　his　examination　of　the　child。　At　the　end　of　that　time　he　was　forced　to　conclude　that　the　infant　was；　to　his　exam；　perfectly　normal。　Totally　normal。　Nothing　the　least　bit　unusual　about　him。
　
　　　Except　that；　somehow；　he　had　survived。
　
　　　15。　Main　Control
　
　　　STONE　SAT　WITH　LEAVITT　IN　THE　MAIN　CONTROL　room；　looking　into　the　inner　room　with　the　capsule。　Though　cramped；　main　control　was　plex　and　expensive：　it　had　cost　2；000；000；　the　most　costly　single　room　in　the　Wildfire　installation。　But　it　was　vital　to　the　functioning　of　the　entire　laboratory。
　
　　　Main　control　served　as　the　first　step　in　scientific　examination　of　the　capsule。　Its　chief　function　was　detection…the　room　was　geared　to　detect　and　isolate　microorganisms。　According　to　the　Life　Analysis　Protocol；　there　were　three　main　steps　in　the　Wildfire　program：　detection；　characterization；　and　control。　First　the　organism　had　to　be　found。　Then　it　had　to　be　studied　and　understood。　Only　then　could　ways　be　sought　to　control　it。
　
　　　Main　control　was　set　up　to　find　the　organism。
　
　　　Leavitt　and　Stone　sat　side　by　side　in　front　of　the　banks　of　controls　and　dials。　Stone　operated　the　mechanical　hands；　while　Leavitt　manipulated　the　microscopic　apparatus。　Naturally　it　was　impossible　to　enter　the　room　with　the　capsule　and　examine　it　directly。　Robot…controlled　microscopes；　with　viewing　screens　in　the　control　room；　would　acplish　this　for　them。
　
　　　An　early　question　had　been　whether　to　utilize　television　or　some　kind　of　direct　visual　linkup。　Television　was　cheaper　and　more　easily　set　up；　TV　image…intensifiers　were　already　in　use　for　electron　microscopes；　X…ray　machines；　and　other　devices。　However；　the　Wildfire　group　finally　decided　that　a　TV　screen　was　too　imprecise　for　their　needs；　even　a　double…scan　camera；　which　transmitted　twice　as　many　lines　as　the　usual　TV　and　gave　better　image　resolution；　would　be　insufficient。　In　the　end；　the　group　chose　a　fiber　optics　system　in　which　a　light　image　was　transmitted　directly　through　a　snakelike　bundle　of　glass　fibers　and　then　displayed　on　the　viewers。　This　gave　a　clear；　sharp　image。
　
　　　Stone　positioned　the　capsule　and　pressed　the　appropriate　controls。　A　black　box　moved　down　from　the　ceiling　and　began　to　scan　the　capsule　surface。　The　two　men　watched　the　viewer　screens：
　
　　　〃Start　with　five　power；〃　Stone　said。　Leavitt　set　the　controls。　They　watched　as　the　viewer　automatically　moved　around　the　capsule；　focusing　on　the　surface　of　the　metal。　They　watched　one　plete　scan；　then　shifted　up　to　twenty…power　magnification。　A　twenty…power　scan　took　much　longer；　since　the　field　of　view　was　smaller。　They　still　saw　nothing　on　the　surface：　no　punctures；　no　indentations；　nothing　that　looked　like　a　small　growth　of　any　kind。
　　　〃Let's　go　to　one　hundred；〃　Stone　said。　Leavitt　adjusted　the　controls　and　sat　back。　They　were　beginning　what　they　knew　would　be　a　long　and　tedious　search。　Probably　they　would　find　nothing。　Soon　they　would　examine　the　interior　of　the　capsule；　they　might　find　something　there。　Or　they　might　not。　In　either　case；　they　would　take　samples　for　analysis；　plating　out　the　scrapings　and　swabs　onto　growth　media。
　
　　　Leavitt　glanced　from　the　viewing　screens　to　look　into　the　room。　The　viewer；　suspended　from　the　ceiling　by　a　plex　arrangement　of　rods　and　wires；　was　automatically　moving　in　slow　circles　around　the　capsule。　He　looked　back　to　the　screens。
　
　　　There　were　three　screens　in　main　control；　and　all　showed　exactly　the　same　field　of　view。　In　theory；　they　could　use　three　viewers　projecting　onto　three　screens；　and　cover　the　capsule　in　one　third　the　time。　But　they　did　not　want　to　do　that　at　least　not　now。　Both；　men　knew　that　their　interest　and　attention　would　fatigue　as　the　day　wore　on。　No　matter　how　hard　they　tried；　they　could　not　remain　alert　all　the　time。　But　if　two　men　watched　the　same　image；　there　was　less　chance　of　missing　something。
　
　　　The　surface　area　of　the　cone…shaped　capsule；　thirty…seven　inches　long　and　a　foot　in　diameter　at　the　base；　was　just　over　650　square　inches。　Three　scans；　at　five；　twenty；　and　one　hundred　power；　took　them　slightly　more　than　two　hours。　At　the　end　of　the　third　scan；　Stone　said；　〃I　suppose　we　ought　to　proceed　with　the　440　scan　as　well。〃
　
　　　〃But？〃
　　　〃I　am　tempted　to　go　directly　to　a　scan　of　the　interior。　If　we　find　nothing；　we　can　e　back　outside　and　do　a　440。〃
　　　〃I　agree。〃
　　　〃All　right；〃　Stone　said。　〃Start　with　five。　On　the　inside。〃
　
　　　Leavitt　worked　the　controls。　This　time；　it　could　not　be　done　automatically；　the　viewer　was　programmed　to　follow　the　contours　of　any　regularly　shaped　object；　such　as　a　cube；　a　sphere；　or　a　cone。　But　it　could　not　probe　the　interior　of　the　capsule　without　direction。　Leavitt　set　the　lenses　at　five　diameters　and　switched　the　remote　viewer　to　manual　control。　Then　he　directed　it　down　into　the　scoop　opening　of　the　capsule。
　
　　　Stone；　watching　the　screen；　said；　〃More　light。〃
　
　　　Leavitt　made　adjustments。　Five　additional　remote　lights　came　down　from　the　ceiling　and　clicked　on；　shining　into　the　scoop。
　
　　　〃Better？〃
　　　〃Fine。〃
　
　　　Watching　his　own　screen；　Leavitt　began　to　move　the　remote　viewer。　It　took　several　minutes　before　he　could　do　it　smoothly；　it　was　difficult　to　coordinate；　rather　like　trying　to　write　while　you　watched　in　a　mirror。　But　soon　he　was　scanning　smoothly。
　
　　　The　five…power　scan　took　twenty　minutes。　They　found　nothing　except　a　small　indentation　the　size　of　a　pencil　point。　At　Stone's　suggestion；　when　they　began　the　twenty…power　scan　they　started　with　the　indentation。
　
　　　Immediately；　they　saw　it：　a　tiny　black　fleck　of　jagged　material　no　larger　than　a　grain　of　sand。　There　seemed　to　be　bits　of　green　mixed　in　with　the　black。
　
　　　Neither　man　reacted；　though　Leavitt　later　recalled　that　he　was　〃trembling　with　excitement。　I　kept　thinking；　if　this　is　it；　if　it's　really　something　new；　some　brand　new　form　of　life。。。〃
　
　　　However；　all　he　said　was；　〃Interesting。〃
　
　　　〃We'd　better　plete　the　scan　at　twenty　power；〃　Stone　said。　He　was　working　to　keep　his　voice　calm；　but　it　was　clear　that　he　was　excited　too。
　
　　　Leavitt　wanted　to　examine　the　fleck　at　higher　power　immediately；　but　he　understood　what　Stone　was　saying。　They　could　not　afford　to　jump　to　conclusions　any　conclusions。　Their　only　hope　was　to　be　grindingly；　interminably　thorough。　They　had　to　proceed　methodically；　to　assure　themselves　at　every　point　that　they　had　overlooked　nothing。
　
　　　Otherwise；　they　could　pursue　a　course　of　investigation　for　hours　or　days；　only　to　find　it　ended　nowhere；　that　they　had　made　a　mistake；　misjudged　the　evidence；　and　wasted　time。
　
　　　So　Leavitt　did　a　plete　scan　of　the　interior　at　twenty　power。　He　paused；　once　or　twice；　when　they　thought　they　saw　other　patches　of　green；　and　marked　down　the　coordinates　so　they　could　find　the　areas　later；　under　higher　magnification。　Half　an　hour　passed　before　Stone　announced　he　was　satisfied　with　the　twenty…power　scan。
　
　　　They　took　a　break　for　caffeine；　swallowing　two　pills　with　water。　The　team　had　agreed　earlier　that　amphetamines　should　not　be　used　except　in　times　of　serious　emergency；　they　were　stocked　in　the　Level　V　pharmacy；　but　for　routine　purposes　caffeine　was　preferred。
　
　　　The　aftertaste　of　the　caffeine　pill　was　sour　in　his　mouth　as　Leavitt　clicked　in　the　hundred…power　lenses；　and　began　the　third　scan。　As　before；　they　started　with　the　indentation；　and　the　small　black　fleck　they　had　noted　earlier。
　
　　　It　was　disappointing：　at　higher　magnification　it　appeared　no　different　from　their　earlier　views；　only　larger。　They　could　see；　however；　that　it　was　an　irregular　piece　of　material；　dull；　looking　like　rock。　And　they　could　see　there　were　definitely　flecks　of　green　mined　on　the　jagged　surface　of　the　material。
　
　　　〃What　do　you　make　of　it？〃　Stone　said。
　
　　　〃If　that's　the　object　the　capsule　collided　with；〃　Leavitt　said；　〃it　was　either　moving　with　great　speed；　or　else　it　is　very　heavy。　Because　it's　not　big　enough〃
　
　　　〃To　knock　the　satellite　out　of　orbit　otherwise。　I　agree。　And　yet　it　did　not　make　a　very　deep　indentation。〃
　
　　　〃Suggesting？〃
　　　Stone　shrugged。　〃Suggesting　that　it　was　either　not　responsible　for　the　orbital　change；　or　that　it　has　some　elastic　properties　we　don't　yet　know　about。〃
　　　〃What　do　you　think　of　the　green？〃
　　　Stone　grinned。　〃You　won't　trap　me　yet。　I　am　curious；　nothing　more。〃
　
　　　Leavitt　chuckled　and　continued　the　scan。　Both　men　now　felt　elated　and　inwardly　certain　of　their　discovery。　They　checked　the　other　areas　where　they　had　noted　green；　and　confirmed　the　presence　of　the　patches　at　higher　magnification。
　
　　　But　the　other　patches　looked　different　from　the　green　on　the　rock。　For　one　thing；　they　were　larger；　and　seemed　somehow　more　luminous。　For　another；　the