p&c.icelimit-第36节

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　rumble　rose　to　a　whine。　She　maneuvered　a　small　hat　switch　on　the　remote；　and　the　whirling　bit　obediently　descended；　then　retracted。
　〃Five　by　five；〃　she　said；　glancing　at　Glinn。
　Glinn　reached　into　the　open　case；　pulled　out　three　respirators；　and　tossed　two　of　them　to　McFarlane　and　Amira。　〃We'll　step　outside　now　and　work　from　the　remote。〃
　McFarlane　snugged　the　respirator　onto　his　head；　seating　the　cold　rubber　around　his　jaws；　and　stepped　outside。　Without　a　hood；　the　wind　cut　cruelly　around　his　ears　and　the　nape　of　his　neck。　From　inside；　the　angry；　hornetlike　whine　of　the　idling　drill　was　still　clearly　audible。
　〃Farther；〃　Glinn　said。　〃Minimum　distance　one　hundred　feet。〃
　They　stepped　back　from　the　building。　Snow　was　tumbling　into　the　air；　turning　the　site　into　a　filmy　sea　of　white。
　〃If　this　turns　out　to　be　a　spaceship；〃　Amira　said；　her　voice　muffled；　〃somebody　inside's　gonna　be　mighty　pissed　when　Mr。　Diamond　Head　pokes　through。〃
　The　shack　was　barely　visible　through　the　snow；　the　open　door　a　dim　rectangle　of　white　in　the　swirling　gray。　〃All　ready。〃
　〃Good；〃　Glinn　replied。　〃Cut　through　the　sealant。　We'll　pause　at　one　millimeter　below　the　surface　of　the　meteorite　to　scan　for　outgassing。〃
　Amira　nodded　and　aimed　the　remote；　fingering　the　hat　switch。　The　whine　grew　louder　for　a　moment；　then　suddenly　became　muffled。　A　few　seconds　went　by。
　〃Funny；　I'm　not　making　any　progress；〃　said　Amira。
　〃Raise　the　drill。〃
　Amira　pulled　back　on　the　hat；　and　the　whine　grew　louder　again；　settling　down　quickly　to　a　steady　pitch。　〃Seems　fine。〃　
　〃RPM？〃
　〃Twelve　thousand。〃
　〃Raise　it　to　sixteen　and　lower　again。〃
　The　whine　increased　in　pitch。　As　McFarlane　listened；　it　grew　muffled　once　again。　There　was　a　sharp　grinding　noise；　then　nothing。
　Amira　glanced　at　a　small　LED　readout　on　the　remote；　its　red　numbers　stark　against　the　black　casing。　〃It　stopped；〃　she　said。
　〃Any　idea　why？〃
　〃Seems　to　be　running　hot；　maybe　there's　something　wrong　with　the　motor。　But　the　internals　all　checked　out。〃
　〃Retract　and　let　it　cool。　Then　double　the　torque；　and　lower　again。〃
　They　waited　while　Amira　fiddled　with　the　remote。　McFarlane　kept　his　eyes　on　the　open　door　of　the　shack。　After　a　few　moments；　Amira　grunted　to　herself　and　nosed　the　hat　switch　forward。　The　whine　returned；　throatier　now。　Suddenly；　the　note　grew　lower　as　the　drill　labored。
　〃Heating　up　again；〃　Amira　said。　〃Damn　this　thing。〃　Her　jaw　set；　and　she　gave　the　hat　switch　a　jab。
　The　pitch　changed　abruptly。　There　was　a　sharp　ripping　sound；　and　a　dull　flicker　of　orange　light　burst　from　the　doorway。　It　was　followed　by　a　loud　crackle；　then　another；　much　quieter。　And　then　all　was　silent。
　〃What　happened？〃　Glinn　asked　sharply。
　Amira　peered　out；　frowning　through　her　respirator。　〃I　don't　know。〃
　She　took　an　impulsive　step　toward　the　shack；　but　Glinn　put　out　a　hand　to　stop　her。　〃No。　Rachel；　determine　what　happened　first。〃
　With　a　heavy　sigh；　Amira　turned　back　to　the　remote。　〃There's　a　lot　of　gibberish　I've　never　seen　before；〃　she　said；　scrolling　back　through　the　LED　readout。　〃Wait；　here's　something。　It　says　‘Failure　Code　47。'〃　She　looked　up　and　snorted。　〃That's　just　great。　And　the　manual's　probably　back　in　Montana。〃
　A　small　booklet　appeared；　as　if　by　sleight　of　hand；　in　Glinn's　right　glove。　He　turned　the　pages。　Then　he　stopped　short。　〃Failure　Code　47；　you　said？〃
　〃Yup。〃
　〃Impossible。〃
　There　was　a　pause。　〃Eli；　I　don't　think　I've　ever　heard　you　use　that　word　before；〃　Amira　replied。
　Glinn　looked　up　from　the　manual；　alien　in　his　parka　and　goonlike　respirator。　〃The　drill's　burned　out。〃
　〃Burned　out？　With　the　kind　of　horsepower　that　thing's　sporting？　I　don't　believe　it。〃
　Glinn　slipped　the　manual　back　into　the　folds　of　his　parka。　〃Believe　it。〃
　They　looked　at　each　other　as　the　snowflakes　curled　around　them。
　〃But　that　could　only　happen　if　the　meteorite　was　harder　than　diamond；〃　Amira　said。
　In　answer；　Glinn　simply　moved　toward　the　hut。
　Inside；　the　air　was　thick　with　the　smell　of　burnt　rubber。　The　drill　was　half　obscured　by　smoke；　the　LED　lights　along　its　flank　dark；　its　underside　scorched。　〃It's　not　responding　at　all；〃　Amira　said；　manipulating　its　controls　by　hand。
　〃Probably　tripped　the　circuit　breakers；〃　said　Glinn。　〃Retract　the　bit　manually。〃
　McFarlane　watched　as；　inch　by　inch；　the　huge　bit　rose　out　of　the　acrid　smoke。　When　the　tip　at　last　came　into　view；　he　saw　that　its　serrated　end　was　now　an　ugly；　circular　scar　of　metal；　fused　and　burnt。
　〃Jesus；〃　said　Amira。　〃That　was　a　five…thousand…dollar　diamond…carborundum　bit。〃
　McFarlane　looked　over　at　Glinn；　half　hidden　by　the　curls　of　smoke。　The　man's　eyes　were　not　on　the　drill　bit；　instead；　they　seemed　to　be　contemplating　something　in　the　distance。
　As　McFarlane　watched；　he　unclipped　his　respirator　and　pulled　it　free。
　The　wind　rose　suddenly；　slamming　the　door　shut；　rattling　its　hinges　and　worrying　the　knob。
　〃What　now？〃　Amira　asked。
　〃We　take　the　bit　back　to　the　Rolvaag　for　a　thorough　examination；〃　Glinn　said。
　Amira　turned　to　the　drill；　but　Glinn's　expression　had　lost　none　of　its　distance。　〃And　it's　time　we　took　something　else　back　with　us　as　well；〃　he　added　quietly。
　
　
　Isla　Desolacion；
　3：05　P。M。
　
　OUTSIDE　THE　shack；　McFarlane　pulled　off　the　respirator　and　snugged　the　hood　of　his　parka　tightly　around　his　face。　Wind　gusted　through　the　staging　area；　sending　skeins　of　snow　whirling　across　the　frozen　ground。　By　now；　Lloyd　must　be　well　on　his　way　back　to　New　York。　Already；　what　little　light　the　heavy　clouds　permitted　was　fading　from　the　sky。　It　would　be　dark　in　half　an　hour。
　There　was　a　crunch　of　snow；　and　Glinn　and　Amira　appeared；　returning　from　the　stores　hut。　Amira　held　a　fluorescent　storm　lantern　in　each　hand；　and　Glinn　was　pulling　a　long；　low　aluminum　sled　behind　him。
　〃What's　that？〃　McFarlane　asked；　pointing　to　a　large　blue　trunk　of　molded　plastic　that　lay　on　the　sled。
　〃Evidence　locker；〃　Glinn　said。　〃For　the　remains。〃　McFarlane　felt　a　mounting　queasiness　in　his　gut。　〃Is　this　absolutely　necessary？〃
　〃I　know　it　can't　be　easy　for　you；〃　Glinn　replied。　〃But　it's　an　unknown。　And　at　EES；　we　dislike　unknowns。〃
　As　they　approached　the　pile　of　rocks　that　marked　Masangkay's　grave；　the　snow　flurries　began　to　draw　away。　The　Jaws　of　Hanuxa　came　into　view；　dark　against　an　even　darker　sky。　Beyond；　McFarlane　caught　the　merest　patch　of　storm…flecked　bay。　On　the　distant　horizon；　the　sharp　peaks　of　Isla　Wollaston　clawed　their　way　skyward。　It　was　incredible　how　quickly　the　weather　changed　down　here。
　Already　the　wind　had　stuffed　snow　and　ice　into　the　crevices　of　the　makeshift　cairn；　mortaring　the　grave　in　white。　Without　ceremony；　Glinn　pulled　out　the　cross；　laid　it　down；　and　began　prying　frozen　rocks　from　the　pile　and　rolling　them　aside。　He　glanced　back　at　McFarlane。　〃It's　fine　if　you'd　rather　hang　back　a　bit。〃
　McFarlane　swallowed。　There　were　very　few　things　he　could　imagine　less　pleasant　than　this　particular　job。　But　if　it　had　to　be　done；　he　wanted　to　be　part　of　it。　〃No；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　help。〃
　It　was　much　easier　to　pull　the　grave　apart　than　it　had　been　to　assemble　it。　Soon；　Masangkay's　remains　began　to　e　into　view。　Glinn　slowed　his　pace；　working　more　gingerly。　McFarlane　stared　at　the　broken　bones；　the　split　skull　and　broken　teeth；　the　ropy　pieces　of　gristle；　the　partly　mummified　flesh。　It　was　hard　to　believe　that　this　had　once　been　his　partner　and　friend。　He　felt　his　gorge　rise；　his　breath　e　fast。
　Darkness　was　falling　quickly。　Putting　aside　the　last　of　the　rocks；　Glinn　lit　the　lanterns　and　placed　one　on　either　side　of　the　grave。　With　a　pair　of　forceps　he　began　placing　the　bones　into　the　plastic…lined　partments　of　the　locker。　A　few　of　the　bones　still　adhered　to　each　other；　held　together　by　strips　of　cartilage；　skin；　and　desiccated　gristle；　but　most　looked　as　if　they　had　been　violently　torn　asunder。
　〃I'm　no　forensic　pathologist；〃　said　Amira；　〃but　this　guy　looks　like　he　had　a　close　encounter　with　a　Peterbilt　〃
　Glinn　said　nothing；　forceps　moving　again　and　again　from　the　ground　to　the　locker；　his　face　hidden　by　the　folds　of　his　hood。　Then　he　stopped。
　〃What　is　it？〃　Amira　asked。
　Reaching　out　with　the　forceps；　Glinn　carefully　pried　something　out　of　the　frozen　dirt。　〃This　boot　isn't　just　rotten；〃　he　said。　〃It's　been　burned。　And　some　of　these　bones　appear　to　have　been　burned；　too。〃
　〃Do　you　suppose　he　was　murdered　for　his　equipment？〃　Amira　asked。　〃And　they　burned　the　body　to　conceal　the　crime？　It　would　be　a　hell　of　a　lot　easier　than　digging　a　grave　in　this　soil。〃
　〃That　would　make　Puppup　a　murderer；〃　said　McFarlane；　feeling　the　hardness　in　his　own　voice。
　Glinn　held　up　a　distal　phalanx；　examining　it　in　the　light　like　a　small　jewel。　〃Very　unlikely；〃　he　said。　〃However；　that's　a　question　for　the　good　doctor　to　answer。〃
　〃About　time　he　had　something　to　do；〃　Amira　said。　〃Instead　of　reading　his　books　and　wandering　around　the　ship　like　a　ghoul。〃
　Glinn　placed　the　bone　into　the　evidence　locker。　Then　he　turned　back　to　the　gravesite　and　picked　up　something　else　with　his　forceps。
　〃This　was　underneath　the　boot；〃　he　said。　He　held　the　object　up　to　the　light；　brushed　off　the　clinging　ice　and　dirt；　and　held　it　up　again。
　〃A　belt　buckle；〃　said　Amira。
　〃What？〃　McFa