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mc.theandromedastrein-第37部分

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   Hall said; 〃What are my chances?〃
   〃They don't exist;〃 Stone explained。
 
   Hall bent over and crawled through a tunnel into a plastic suit。 He waited until it had sealed behind him; and then he picked up a knife and cut away the tunnel; like a tail。 He breathed in the air of the lab; which was cool and fresh; and laced with Andromeda organisms。
 
   Nothing happened。
 
   Back in the lab; Stone watched him through the glass。 Hall saw his lips move; but heard nothing; then a moment later the speakers cut in and he heard Stone say; 〃 best that we could devise。〃
 
   〃What was?〃
   〃The defense system。〃
   〃Thanks very much;〃 Hall said; moving toward the rubber gasket。 It was circular and rather small; leading into the central core。
   〃There's only one chance;〃 Stone。 said。 〃The doses are low。 They're calculated for a ten…kilogram animal; like a large monkey; and you weigh seventy kilograms or so。 You can stand a fairly heavy dose before〃
   〃Before I stop breathing;〃 Hall said。 The victims of curare suffocate to death; their chest muscles and diaphragms paralyzed。 Hall was certain it was an unpleasant way to die。
   〃Wish me luck;〃 he said。
   〃There are now two minutes thirty seconds to self…destruct;〃 Gladys Stevens said。
 
   Hall slammed the gasket with his fist; and it crumbled in a dusty cloud。 He moved out into the central core。
 
   ***
 
   It was silent。 He was away from the sirens and flashing lights of the level; and into a cold; metallic; echoing space。 The central core was perhaps thirty feet wide; painted a utilitarian gray; the core itself; a cylindrical shaft of cables and machinery; lay before him。 On the walls he could see the rungs of a ladder leading upward to Level IV。
 
   〃I have you on the TV monitor; 〃 Stone's voice said。 〃Start up the ladder。 The gas will begin any moment。〃
 
   A new recorded voice broke in。 〃The central core has been contaminated;〃 it said。 〃Authorized maintenance personnel are advised to clear the area immediately。〃
 
   〃Go!〃 Stone said。
 
   Hall climbed。 As he went up the circular wall; he looked back and saw pale clouds of white smoke blanketing the floor。
 
   〃That's the gas;〃 Stone said。 〃Keep going。〃
 
   Hall climbed quickly; hand over hand; moving up the rungs。 He was breathing hard; partly from the exertion; partly from emotion。
 
   〃The sensors have you;〃 Stone said。 His voice was dull。
 
   Stone was sitting in the Level V laboratory; watching on the consoles as the puter electric eyes picked up Hall and outlined his body moving up the wall。 To Stone he seemed painfully vulnerable。 Stone glanced over at a third screen; which showed the ligamine ejectors pivoting on their wall brackets; the slim barrels ing around to take aim。
 
   〃Go!〃
 
   On the screen; Hall's body was outlined in red on a vivid green background。 As Stone watched; a crosshair was superimposed over the body; centering on the neck。 The puter was programmed to choose a region of high blood flow; for most animals; the neck was better than the back。
 
   Hall; climbing up the core wall; was aware only of the distance and his fatigue。 He felt strangely and totally exhausted; as if he had been climbing for hours。 Then he realized that the gas was beginning to affect him。
 
   〃The sensors have picked you up;〃 Stone said。 〃But you have only ten more yards。〃
 
   Hall glanced back and saw one of the sensor units。 It was aimed directly at him。 As he watched; it fired; a small puff of bluish smoke spurting from the barrel。 There was a whistling sound; and then something struck the wall next to him; and fell to the ground。
 
   〃Missed that time。 Keep going。〃
 
   Another dart slammed into the wall near his neck。 He tried to hurry; tried to move faster。 Above; he could see the door with the plain white markings LEVEL IV。 Stone was right; less than ten yards to go。
 
   A third dart; and then a fourth。 He still was untouched。 For an ironic moment he felt irritation: the damned puters weren't worth anything; they couldn't even hit a simple target。。。
 
   The next dart caught him in the shoulder; stinging as it entered his flesh; and then there was a second wave of burning pain as the liquid was injected。 Hall swore。
 
   Stone watched it all on the monitor。 The screen blandly recorded STRIKE and then proceeded to rerun a tape of the sequence; showing the dart moving through the air; and hitting Hall's shoulder。 It showed it three times in succession。
 
   The voice said; 〃There are now two minutes to self…destruct。
 
   〃It's a low dose;〃 Stone said to Hall。 〃Keep going。〃
 
   Hall continued to climb。 He felt sluggish; like a four…hundred pound man; but he continued to climb。 He reached the next door just as a dart slammed into the wall near his cheekbone。
 
   〃Nasty。〃
   〃Go! Go!〃
 
   The door had a seal and handle。 He tugged at the handle while still another dart struck the wall。
 
   〃That's it; that's it; you're going to make it;〃 Stone said。
   〃There are now ninety seconds to self…destruct;〃 the voice said。
 
   The handle spun。 With a hiss of air the door came open。 He moved into an inner chamber just as a dart struck his leg with a brief; searing wave of heat。 And suddenly; instantly; he was a thousand pounds heavier。 He moved in slow motion as he reached for the door and pulled it shut behind him。
 
   〃You're in an airlock;〃 Stone said。 〃Turn the next door handle。〃
 
   Hall moved toward the inner door。 It was several miles away; an infinite trip; a distance beyond hope。 His feet were encased in lead; his legs were granite。 He felt sleepy and achingly tired as he took one step; and then another; and another。
 
   〃There are now sixty seconds to self…destruct。〃 
 
   Time was passing swiftly。 He could not understand it; everything was so fast; and he was so slow。
 
   The handle。 He closed his fingers around it; as if in a dream。 He turned the handle。
 
   〃Fight the drug。 You can do it;〃 Stone said。
 
   What happened next was difficult to recall。 He saw the handle turn; and the door open; he was dimly aware of a girl; a technician; standing in the hallway as he staggered through。
 
   She watched him with frightened eyes as he took a single clumsy step forward。
 
   〃Help me;〃 he said。
 
   She hesitated; her eyes got wider; and then she ran down the corridor away from him。
 
   He watched her stupidly; and fell to the ground。 The substation was only a few feet away; a glittering; polished metal plate on the wall。
 
   〃Forty…five seconds to self…destruct;〃 the voice said; and then he was angry because the voice was female; and seductive; and recorded; because someone had planned it this way; had written out a series of inexorable statements; like a script; which was now being followed by the puters; together with all the polished; perfect machinery of the laboratory。 It was as if this was his fate; planned from the beginning。
 
   And he was angry。
 
   Later; Hall could not remember how he managed to crawl the final distance; nor could he remember how he was able to get to his knees and reach up with the key。 He did remember twisting it in the lock; and watching as the green light came on again。
 
   〃Self…destruct has been canceled;〃 the voice announced; as if it were quite normal。
 
   Hall slid to the floor; heavy; exhausted; and watched as blackness closed in around him。
   
   DAY 5
 
   Resolution
   
   30。 The Last Day
 
   AVOICE FROM VERY FAR AWAY SAID; 〃He's fighting it。〃
   〃Is he?〃
   〃Yes。 Look。〃
 
   And then; a moment later; Hall coughed as something was pulled from his throat; and he coughed again; gasped for air; and opened his eyes。
 
   A concerned female face looked down at him。 〃You okay? It wears off quickly。〃 
 
   Hall tried to answer her but could not。 He lay very still on his back; and felt himself breathe。 It was a little stiff at first; but soon became much easier; his ribs going in and out without effort。 He turned his head and said; 〃How long?〃
 
   〃About forty seconds;〃 the girl said; 〃as nearly as we can figure。 Forty seconds without breathing。 You were a little blue when we found you; but we got you intubated right away and onto a respirator。〃
   〃When was that?〃
   〃Twelve; fifteen minutes ago。 Ligamine is short…acting; but even so; we were worried about you。。。 How are you feeling?〃
   〃Okay。〃
 
   He looked around the room。 He was in the infirmary on Level IV。 On the far wall was a television monitor; which showed Stone's face。
 
   〃Hello;〃 Hall said。
   Stone grinned。 〃Congratulations。〃
   〃I take it the bomb didn't?〃
   〃The bomb didn't;〃 Stone said。
   〃That's good;〃 Hall said; and closed his eyes。 He slept for more than an hour; and when he awoke the television screen was blank。 A nurse told him that Dr。 Stone was talking to Vandenburg。
   〃What's happening?〃
   〃According to predictions; the organism is over Los Angeles now。〃 
   〃And?〃
   The nurse shrugged。 〃Nothing。 It seems to have no effect at all。〃
  
   ***
 
   〃None whatsoever;〃 Stone said; much later。 〃It has apparently mutated to a benign form。 We're still waiting for a bizarre report of death or disease; but it's been six hours now; and it gets less likely with every minute。 We suspect that ultimately it will migrate back out of the atmosphere; since there's too much oxygen down here。 But of course if the bomb had gone off in Wildfire。。。〃 
   Hall said; 〃How much time was left?〃
   〃When you turned the key? About thirty…four seconds。〃
   Hall smiled。 〃Plenty of time。 Hardly even exciting。〃
   〃Perhaps from where you were;〃 Stone said。 〃But down on Level V; it was very exciting indeed。 I neglected to tell you that in order to improve the subterranean detonation characteristics of the atomic device; all air is evacuated from Level V; beginning thirty seconds before explosion。〃
   〃Oh;〃 Hall said。
   〃But things are now under control;〃 Stone said。 〃We have the organism; and can continue to study it。 We've already begun to characterize a variety of mutant forms。 It's a rather astonishing organism in its versatility。 〃 He smiled。 〃I think we can be fairly confident that the organism will move into the upper atmosphere without causing further difficulty on the surface; so there's no problem there。 And as for us down here; we understand what's happening now; in terms of the mutations。 That's the important thing。 That we understand。〃 
   〃Understand;〃 Hall repeated。
   〃Yes;〃 Stone said。 〃We have to understand。〃
 
   ***
 
   EPILOGUE
 
   OFFICIALLY; THE LOSS OF ANDROS V; THE MANNED spacecraft that burned up as it reentered the atmosphere; was explained on the basis of mechanical failure。 The tungsten…and…plastic…laminate heat shield was said to have eroded away under the thermal stress of returning to the atmosphere; and an investigation was ordered by NASA into production methods for the heat shield。
 
   In Congress; and in the press; there was clamor for safer spacecraft。 As a result of governmental and public pressure; NASA elected to postpone future manned flights for an indefinite period。 This d
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