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第31节

amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第31节

小说: amccaffrey.theskiesofpern 字数: 每页4000字

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 as all eyes were trained on the wall monitor; which F'lessan couldn't see from the door。
  〃You can't e…〃 began the burly door guard; whom F'lessan recognized as Tunge; one of the regular men。 He skipped aside and explained with soft intensity。 〃Sorry; bronze rider; but everyone and his fire…lizard's been trying to get in here since that thing in the sky was spotted。〃 Tunge was impressed; and scared。
  F'lessan made a quick survey of those in the room; where was Wansor? Surely Lytol and D'ram had got him here so the phenomenon could be described to him?
  〃Master Wansor?〃 he murmured to Tunge。
  〃Oh; him。〃 With a quick grin; Tunge jerked his head back down the corridor。 〃Him 'n' Lord Lytol 'n' bronze rider D'ram are in the conference room。 There's a big screen there; too; you know; so they could tell him what information's being processed。〃
  Directly across the room; one of the smaller monitors was blinking the legend PHO。 F'lessan shook his head; trying to remember what the initials stood for…possibly hazardous object? Why had he assumed that the bright light was a et? Below the title 〃Encounter Analysis〃 were eight columns; headed ESTIMATED TIME TO PERIGEE; DISTANCE; VELOCITY; PROBABILITY; ATMOSPHERE BREAKUP; IMPACT ERROR; LATITUDE; AND LONGITUDE。 These were showing numbers that altered rapidly; either decreasing or; in the case of longitude; increasing。 As F'lessan watched; the Estimated Time to Perigee ticked over to 5800。
  That display gave him another frisson of apprehension。 When had that clock started ticking down? He'd e as fast as he could without timing it。 But then; he hadn't anticipated that this could be a real crisis。
  He inched carefully along the wall; moving people who were almost unaware of being manipulated; so intent were they upon the monitor's reports。 He recognized several as off…duty technicians。 Being tall; he eased into a spot in the corner and still had a clear view of the monitor。 In front of him; Stinar; the duty officer; was standing with the barrel…chested man of medium height; dark…haired; with a handsome hooked nose; whom F'lessan recognized as Erragon; Wansor's assistant。 Shouldn't he have been in the conference room? F'lessan chided himself。 Lytol and D'ram could explain adequately to Wansor but Erragon was needed in here; interpreting the Yoko's telemetry。 When this was over; he'd undoubtedly report to Master Wansor the more technical details of this unusual occurrence。 The two were intent on the visual transmitted to Landing by Yoko。
  At maximum magnification; Yoko showed a small image of the nucleus; embedded in clouds of dust。 Yoko added another window; attempting to trace it back to its original orbit。 Details came up as:
  Semi…Major Axis = 33。712。 Period = 195。734 Eccentricity = 0。971 Perihelion = 0。95 3 AU Inclination = 103。95 degrees。
  But F'lessan; knowing all these figures would be available later; concentrated on the et; now resolving jets and debris。 Yes; it must be a et。 That would explain its slowing with respect to the stars。 Outgassing can push a et about; making an estimate of its orbit even harder。 Furthermore; with the long axis running from the northwest to the southeast; who could tell? It may skid across our atmosphere and disappear south; thought F'lessan hopefully。
  Yet another working window opened; labeled SEARCHING。 Images of what F'lessan knew to be Pernese space flashed past; the streaking orbits of some of the minor planets against the background of northern hemisphere stars。
  〃What's all that about?〃 Stinar asked Erragon who was blinking at the rapidly altering display。
  〃I'd hazard the guess that it's searching for any old images of the et。 It is possible; you know;〃 Erragon went on; frowning at the speed of the search pattern; 〃that the et originated in the Oort cloud。〃 His grin was forced。 〃It might even have been seen by our Ancestors。〃
  〃Really?〃
  Erragon sighed; flicking his attention to some of the other sidebars。 〃We have a lot of material to review; you know。 Just for our home system。 Ah; yes;〃 and he pointed back to the search。 〃The material we're seeing was released from the et two to three weeks ago。 Here we go;〃 he added; intent on the newest sidebar readings。
  Encounter Analysis Estimated Perigee in 1800 seconds Projected Perigee Distance 16km; error ± 296km Encounter Velocity 58。48km/sec ± 0。18km/sec Probability of Impact 48。9%
  Probability of Atmospheric Breakup (Airburst) 1。3% Impact Error Ellipse 3698 times 592km Location and Orientation of Ellipse 9° north; 18° east; Major Axis bearing 130°
  At that point; Erragon visibly tensed; leaning slightly forward on the balls of his feet in an attitude that confirmed F'lessan's bad feelings about the alteration in probability of impact。 He wasn't certain that the error ellipse of impact was reassuring。 Unless the et suddenly pulled itself up in an escape parabola。 Estimate to Perigee decreasing: 1500 seconds; or 25 minutes; F'lessan told himself。 He also didn't like standing around; watching; in a room full of people who didn't seem to realize what could happen。 The tension was palpable but everyone was so focused on the screen; too scared to ask questions or to break into the concentration of Stinar or Erragon。
  New figures at 1200 seconds; from the Yoko's synchronic orbit over Pern; gave coordinates of Range 71377km; Yoko latitude 45。IN; Yoko longitude 118。4m。 The magnitude was …5; which was bright enough and getting brighter and the fireball was suddenly moving a degree every minute。 He stepped right beside Stinar and Erragon。
  〃Where will it impact?〃 F'lessan murmured for their ears only。
  〃We still don't know that it will;〃 Stinar said softly; restlessly shifting his feet; turning his head sideways so that his words just reached F'lessan。
  〃There's a three…hundred…kilometer range error;〃 Erragon said as if that was significant。
  〃Where?〃 Stinar demanded。
  〃Right now; the range extends along the farther Eastern Island Ring。〃
  〃On the islands themselves; or in the sea?〃
  Stinar took the hand…control unit from his pocket and punched in a mand。 The monitor opened a small window in the right corner; while the Probability Impact percentage rose steadily into the 50's and the error ellipse…that narrow band along the far islands to which the fireball was inexorably aimed…got smaller。 The new window showed the Eastern Sea as it must be seen from Yoko; and the scattered islands of both Eastern Rings。 A wide band was superimposed over the upper islands。
  〃Looks more like the islands;〃 Stinar said with a little shrug。
  F'lessan knew that the islands were uninhabited; too far out in the Eastern Ring Sea to be attractive for anyone; even Tone; to hold; except whichever island currently housed the Abominator exiles…and no one but N'ton knew where that was。
  〃I don't like that;〃 Erragon said; stiffening。
  〃Why?〃
  〃Those islands are all volcanic。 An impact on them might trigger eruptions all along that chain;〃 he said; pointing。
  〃Then we'll just hope it falls in the sea;〃 Stinar said with a slightly nervous laugh。
  〃That will produce other hazards;〃 Erragon said solemnly。
  F'lessan caught his breath。 He'd seen volcanoes erupt; the one Piemur had discovered off the westernmost tip of Southern Hold blew up periodically; sending clouds of gray ash to blot the sun and stifle even the rich tropical vegetation。 The one in the near Eastern Ring; which the Ancients had called Young Mountain; liked to send immense boulders skyward and great lava flows down its side; spinning burning chunks onto its neighbors。 The islands that the et was heading for were much larger and he shuddered at the thought of all of them being active。 They would cause tidal waves; which could have a disastrous effect on coastal areas…like Monaco。
  〃It could still just graze;〃 Erragon murmured to Stinar; in a tone that gave F'lessan no confidence in that possibility at all。
  He glanced up at the legend; numbers whirring into new configurations all the time; as Yoko telemetry updated them。
  〃It's only got a few minutes to change course;〃 F'lessan said。
  Erragon glanced at him; blinking; as if he'd forgotten the bronze rider's presence。 〃Did you know your Weyrleaders are in the conference room with Master Wansor?〃
  Lessa and F'lar were also here? When…and why…had they arrived? Obscurely he was glad they had; especially the way this event was proceeding。
  〃No; but I'd rather be in here and know the worst;〃 F'lessan said; watching Erragon's shoulders twitch in startled reaction to the last word。 〃Where will it hit us?〃
  〃We don't know yet;〃 but F'lessan saw Erragon's eye flick to the Impact Probability; which flickered onto 60 percent。
  All three men caught their breath as the percentage jumped in a matter of seconds to 100 percent。
  〃That's still a consequence of the grazing impact;〃 Erragon said but F'lessan didn't think he believed that。 〃The ellipse is shrinking。 Can you adjust Yoko's visuals?〃
  On the map in the right…hand corner; the figures flickered in latitude and longitude; following the last downward plunge of the et。 Filling that screen at maximum magnification; the tuberlike s

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