amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第32节

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　　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　shape　of　the　et　nucleus　showed　geysers　and　jets　blowing　into　space；　chunks　breaking　off；　floating　slowly　away。　F'lessan　was　amazed　since　he　knew　the　speed　at　which　the　et　was　traveling　and　that　eerie；　almost　dignified；　breakup　of　its　parts　was　like　a　Gather　dance。
　　〃It's　going　to　miss。。。　〃　Stinar　whispered；　unconsciously　pushing　both　hands　in　a　deflecting　motion。
　　〃Just　a　few　more　degrees。。。　〃　Erragon；　too；　was　taut　as　if；　by　exerting　sufficient　willpower；　he　could　shift　the　plummeting　fireball　south　and　east。
　　〃It's　got　to　be　far　enough　away。。。　〃　F'lessan　was　adding　his　tension　in　an　unconscious　effort　to　affect　a　descent　that　no　effort　could　now　alter。
　　F'lessan　found　himself　squinting　at　the　sudden　brightness　of　the　picture…the　brightness　of　sunlit　sea　or　the　et。　The　magnitude　of　its　dust　trail　now　registered　an　eye…blinding　intensity　of　…9！
　　A　new　message　imposed　itself　prominently：　120　seconds　to　perigee…705　seconds　to　impact。
　　The　monitor　altered　abruptly；　darkening；　and　F'lessan　saw　the　line　on　the　sidebar　that　indicated　Yoko　was　displaying　a　constructed　image；　made　up　of　the　optical；　infrared；　microwave；　and　other　print　capabilities　that　Erragon　had　once　tried　to　describe　to　F'lessan。　The　nucleus　of　the　et　looked　suddenly　darker　but　the　reduction　of　the　glare　relieved　his　eyes。　Ominously　the　message　now　read　60　seconds　to　atmosphere。
　　Another　read　20　seconds　to　impact；　Angle　12°：　magnitude　of　dust　trail　…9。
　　People　splayed　fingers　in　front　of　their　eyes。　The　glare…reduced　optical　version　saved　them　from　the　splintering　whiteness　that　erupted；　which　the　monitor　hastily　continued　to　reduce。　A　screen　flicked　to　a　new　image…identified　as　〃synthetic　radar〃…as　Yoko　attempted　to　see　through　the　clouds。
　　Twenty　seconds　couldn't　have　elapsed；　F'lessan　thought　and　then　realized　that　Yoko　was　slightly　behind　in　its　reporting。　Where　had　it　impacted？　The　island　chain　or　the　sea？
　　No　one　spoke。　All　seemed　to　be　holding　their　breath。　The　silence　was　broken　by　printers　churning　out　reams　of　hard　copy　that　fell　unnoticed　into　baskets　or　spilled　to　the　floor。　As　the　et　was　spilling　its　substance　onto　the　sea？　Flaming　molten　debris　down　on　the　nearest　Ring　islands？
　　Even　the　image　on　the　screen　seemed　to　recoil　from　the　incredible　brightness。　Squinting　through　his　fingers；　F'lessan　saw　the　radar　image　showing　the　surface　topography…and　a　series　of　rings　on　the　ocean。　Waves　traveled　outward　from　the　impact　point；　immediately　followed　by　a　much　higher　fountain　of　water　as　the　sea　fell　back　into　the　impact　crater。　Then　he　had　the　distinct　impression　of　a　wall　moving　out　with　astonishing　speed　and　saw　a　column　of　red…brown　steam　spreading　down　to　the　sea；　with　black　bits　whirling　up　and　out；　and　then　vast　billows　rushing　out　from　it　across　the　sea。
　　Still　the　silence　in　the　Interface　office　was　broken　only　by　machines　doing　what　they　were　programmed　to　do：　disgorge　columns　of　figures。　The　human　observers　struggled　to　absorb　what　they　had　just　seen；　were　still　witnessing　as　retinal　afterimages：　the　creation　of　a　storm　of　staggering　proportions；　blossoming　up　and　outward。　Steam；　gas　vapor；　and　whatever　the　head　of　the　fireball　had　been　posed　of　were　part　of　the　storm。　The　fireball　had　extinguished　itself　and　then　hit　the　sea；　F'lessan　repeated；　making　his　mind　believe　what　his　eyes　had　seen：　it　made　a　hole　that　made　a　wave；　which　fell　back；　and　sent　up　a　fountain　of　water。　Abruptly　the　data　on　the　screen　changed。
　　Impactor　Summary
　　Probable　etary　origin
　　Impact　velocity　58。51　km/sec
　　Dimensions　597　times　361　times　452　meter　ellipsoid
　　Volume　51　million　cubic　meters
　　Average　Density　0。33　（＋…0。11）
　　Total　Mass　17　million　tons
　　Derived　Impact　Energy　29。7　Exajoules
　　Explosive　Equivalent　7。4　gigatons
　　8°　northern　latitude；　12°　east　longitude。
　　〃It　came　down　in　the　sea！〃　Stinar's　sigh　of　relief　held　a　triumphant　note。
　　Ramoth　saw　this；　too；　Golanth　told　his　rider　in　a　muted　tone。　That's　when　F'lessan　recalled　that　Erragon　had　said　that　the　Benden　Weyrleaders　and　Wansor　had　been　watching　this　on　the　conference　room　screen。
　　They　weren't　all　that　lucky；　after　all；　that　the　et　had　missed　the　volcanic　islands。　A　huge　mass　like　that　hitting　open　sea　would　cause　a　great　deal　of　trouble。　There'd　be　a　shock　wave；　wouldn't　there？　In　how　many　more　minutes？　How　much　damage　would　that　cause？　Was　Landing　far　enough　away？　Monaco　Bay　was　at　sea　level。　It'd　be　flooded　to　the　hills　and　they　were　a　long　way　up　the　sloping　beachfront。
　　He　tried　to　calm　these　thoughts；　to　resurrect　the　necessary　information　from　lessons　long　past。　He　started　to　recall　sentences；　paragraphs；　and　irrelevant　details。
　　A　cold　fear　in　his　guts　increasing　with　every　second；　F'lessan　peered　at　the　screen　as　the　cloud　boiled；　red…brown；　to　occlude　what　was　actually　happening。　They　ought　to　know　what　was　happening　at　sea　level；　the　bronze　rider　thought；　there　was　something…。　Everyone　in　the　office　had　now　recovered　their　wits　and　their　tongues。　If　everyone　around　him　would　only　stop　babbling　excitedly　about　this　spectacular　event；　he　could　think。　Where　was　Tai？　She　might　know。　She　should　be　here。　So　should　T'gellan。　The　coast　of　the　southern　continent　was　not　going　to　escape　the　effects　of　something　so　big　dropping　at　that　speed！
　　Suddenly　the　view　on　the　screen　altered；　not　only　dropping　the　infrared　screen　but　also　presenting　a　new　perspective；　well　back　from　the　impact　site。　A　discernible　wave；　a　darkness　of　water；　was　moving　outward；　just　faster　than　the　flat…topped　clouds　boiling　up　and　out。　More　data　was　being　presented　in　margins。　F'lessan　blinked；　unable　to　decipher　the　critical　messages　given。
　　F'lessan　kept　his　eyes　on　the　screen。　The　Yoko　adjusted　its　viewpoint　by　pulling　back　at　speed；　back　beyond　the　hump　of　one　of　the　big　rainforest　islands　just　north　of　the　impact　point。　It　was　burning！　Burning？　Oh；　yes；　memory　informed　F'lessan；　the　thermal　flare　of　the　et　would　cause　flash　fires　with　the　heat　of　its　passing。
　　〃We're　very；　very　lucky；〃　someone　muttered。　〃It　didn't　hit　any　landmass。〃
　　〃No；　we're　not　lucky；〃　F'lessan　said　savagely；　watching　the　dark　watery　circle　expand。　〃That　island's　on　fire！〃　Then　he　pointed　to　the　map　in　the　right…hand　corner。　〃The　one　due　south　will　be　burning；　too。　And　look　at　that　gap　between　them！　There'll　be　sea　pouring　through　that　gap；　circling　out；　spreading；　and　ing　straight　down　to　the　southern　coastline　in　a　wall　of　water。。。　〃　He　paused；　uncertainly；　trying　to　recall　the　specific　term。
　　〃Tsunami！〃
　　Tai's　soft　shocked　voice　behind　him　in　the　silence　of　the　Interface　office　gave　F'lessan　the　word　he　had　been　trying　to　remember。　She　stood　with　T'gellan　and　Mirrim　against　the　wall。　He　hadn't　even　seen　them　arrive。　She　stared　with　awed　fear　and　fascination　at　what　the　monitor　depicted。
　　The　distant　cloud　expanded　sideways　and　skyward；　and　the　surface　of　sea　was　reacting　in　its　depths　and　sending　ominous　black　undulations　out　in　all　directions。　And　something　swirled　up　and　over　the　rainforest　island。　Then　the　view　retreated　to　show　a　new　aspect；　the　island　had　been　subsumed！　And　a　thick　line　of　debris：　the　lush　huge　trees；　some　thirty　meters　tall；　were　now　just　sea　wrack；　bobbing　until　finally　they　would　be　tossed　upon　beaches　as　jetsam。　The　dark　circle　continued　to　spread　outward；　westward。　East；　too；　F'lessan　now　realized；　though　the　cloud　obscured　that　fact。　He　checked　with　the　radar　screen　and　yes；　the　rings　were　heading　east　and　south；　right　at　unprotected　lowlands；　possibly　as　far　as　the　Hook　Islands；　and　certainly　speeding　right　toward　the　lovely　little　bays　that　dotted　the　Monaco　coast；　and　Monaco　Bay　itself；　the　Harbor；　the　busy　boatyard　with　sheds；　pier；　and　cotholds。　And　Cove　Hold？　Would　the　Kahrain　Cape　protect　it？
　　〃That's　what　a　tsunami　does　to　what's　in　its　way；〃　F'lessan　said；　pointing　to　the　wreckage；　the　shocking　disappearance　of　two　substantial　islands。　A　shaft　of　cold；　deep　fear　engulfed　his　bones。　He　urgently　signaled　Tai　to　join　him。
　　〃Tsunami？〃　Mirrim　echoed　in　a　surprise　tinged　with　denial；　fear；　and　resentment。　She　lifted　her　hand　to　stop　Tai　but　F'lessan　scowled　at　her　as　he　waved　the　green　rider　to　his　side。
　　〃I　thought　tsunami　occurred　with　sea　or　earthquakes；〃　T'gellan　said；　stunned。
　　〃Tsunami　can　also　occur　when　something　very　hot　and　heavy　falls　out　of　the　sky；〃　Erragon　said　in　the　tone　of　someone　who　wishes　he　did　not　have　to　announce　such　news。　〃And　a　et　just　did！〃　He　pointed　to　the　grim　Impactor　Summary　figures。
　　F'lessan　shook　his　head；　unable　to　deal　with　such　incredible　quantities　as　a　mass　of　17　million　tons　and　a　derived　impact　energy　of　29。7　exajoules。　Now　that　was　a　typically　esoteric　Aivas　word。　He　was　almost　relieved　to　see　Erragon　and　Stinar　were　also　struggling　to　put　such　terms　into　Pernese　contexts。
　　〃What　does　all　that　mean？〃　Mirrim　asked；　her　tanned　skin　pale。　In　all　the　Turns　he　had　known　her；　F'lessan　had　never　seen　this　confident　woman　so　scared。
　　Erragon　swive