p&c.icelimit-第39节

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　〃Turn　on　the　electromagnets；〃　McFarlane　said。
　〃You've　got　it；〃　said　Amira。
　〃Douse　the　lights。〃
　The　room　went　dark。　The　only　light　came　from　cracks　in　the　walls　of　the　ill…made　shack　and　from　the　LEDs　arranged　along　the　microprobe's　controls。
　〃I'm　turning　the　beam　on　at　low　power；〃　McFarlane　whispered。
　A　faint　bluish　beam　appeared　in　the　bell　jar。　It　flickered　and　rotated；　casting　a　spectral　light　across　the　meteorite's　surface；　turning　the　crimson　surface　almost　black。　The　walls　of　the　shack　danced　and　wavered。
　McFarlane　carefully　turned　two　sets　of　dials；　altering　the　magnetic　fields　around　the　jar。　The　beam　stopped　rotating　and　began　to　narrow；　being　brighter。　Soon　it　looked　like　a　blue　pencil；　its　point　resting　on　the　meteorite's　surface。
　〃We're　there；〃　he　said。　〃Now　I'm　going　to　bring　it　to　full　power　for　five　seconds。〃
　He　held　his　breath。　If　Glinn's　concerns　were　justified…if　the　meteorite　was　somehow　dangerous　…　this　was　when　they　might　find　out。
　He　pressed　the　timer。　There　was　a　sudden；　much　brighter；　beam　inside　the　jar。　Where　it　touched　the　meteorite's　surface；　there　was　an　intense　violet　pinpoint　of　light。　Five　seconds　ticked　off；　and　then　everything　went　dark　again。　McFarlane　felt　himself　relax　involuntarily。　〃Lights。〃
　As　the　lights　came　on；　McFarlane　knelt　above　the　meteorite's　surface；　staring　eagerly　at　the　gold　disks。　He　caught　his　breath。　Each　disk　was　now　marked　with　the　faintest　blush　of　red。　Not　only　that；　but　at　the　spot　where　the　electron　beam　had　touched　the　meteorite；　he　saw　…　or　thought　he　saw　…　the　tiniest　pit；　a　gleaming　speck　on　the　smooth　surface。
　He　straightened　up。
　〃Well？〃　asked　Glinn。　〃What　happened？〃
　McFarlane　grinned。　〃This　baby　isn't　so　tough；　after　all。〃
　
　Isla　Desolacion；
　July　18；　9：00　A。M。
　
　MCFARLANE　CRUNCHED　across　the　staging　area；　Amira　at　his　side。　The　site　looked　the　same　…　the　same　rows　of　containers　and　Quonset　huts；　the　same　raw；　frosted　earth。　Only　he　was　different。　He　felt　bone　tired　yet　exhilarated。　As　they　walked　in　silence；　the　crisp　air　seemed　to　magnify　everything：　the　sound　of　his　boots　creaking　in　the　fresh　snow；　the　clatter　of　distant　machinery；　the　rasp　of　his　own　breath。　It　helped　clear　his　head　of　all　the　strange　speculations　that　the　night's　experiments　had　aroused。
　Reaching　the　bank　of　containers；　he　approached　the　main　lab　and　held　open　the　door　for　Amira。　Inside；　in　the　dim　light；　he　could　see　Stonecipher；　the　project's　second　engineer；　working　on　an　open　puter　box；　disks　and　circuit　boards　spread　out　fanwise。　Stonecipher　straightened　up　his　short；　narrow　body　at　their　arrival。
　〃Mr。　Glinn　wants　to　see　you；　on　the　double；〃　he　said。
　〃Where　is　he？〃　asked　McFarlane。
　〃Underground。　I'll　take　you。〃
　Not　far　from　the　shack　that　covered　the　meteorite；　a　second　shack　had　been　erected；　even　more　dilapidated　than　its　cousin。　The　door　to　this　shack　opened　and　Garza　emerged；　wearing　a　hard　hat　beneath　his　hood　and　carrying　several　others　in　his　hands。　He　tossed　one　to　each　of　them。
　〃e　on　in；〃　he　said；　ushering　them　into　the　smaller　shack。　McFarlane　looked　around　the　dim　space；　wondering　what　was　going　on。　The　shack　held　nothing　but　some　old　tools　and　several　nail　kegs。
　〃What's　this？〃　McFarlane　asked。
　〃You'll　see；〃　said　Garza　with　a　grin。　He　rolled　the　nail　kegs　away　from　the　center　of　the　shack；　exposing　a　steel　plate；　which　he　hooked　open。
　McFarlane　drew　in　his　breath　in　astonishment。　The　open　trapdoor　revealed　a　descending　staircase　in　a　tunnel；　cut　into　the　ground；　and　heavily　reinforced　with　steel。　White　light　blazed　upward。　〃Pretty　cloak…and…dagger；〃　he　said。
　Garza　laughed。　〃I　call　it　the　King　Tut　method。　They　hid　the　tunnel　into　King　Tut's　treasure　chamber　by　locating　it　beneath　the　shack　of　an　insignificant　worker。〃
　They　descended　the　narrow　staircase；　single　file；　to　a　narrow　tunnel　illuminated　by　dual　lines　of　fluorescent　lights。　The　tunnel　was　so　massively　cribbed　with　I…beams　that　it　seemed　made　entirely　of　steel。　The　group　proceeded　single　file；　their　breath　leaving　fog　trails　in　the　frosty　air。　Icicles　hung　from　the　overhead　struts；　and　hoarfrost　grew　in　sheets　and　spikes　along　the　walls。　McFarlane　caught　his　breath　as　he　saw　a　patch　of　unmistakable　color　ahead　of　them；　bright　red　against　the　shine　of　ice　and　steel。
　〃You're　looking　at　a　small　section　of　the　meteorite's　underside；〃　Garza　said；　stopping　beside　it。
　Underneath　the　lustrous　red　surface；　a　row　of　jacks；　each　a　foot　in　diameter；　sat　like　squat　pillars　on　fat；　clawlike　feet；　bolted　to　the　metal　cribbing　on　the　floor　and　walls。
　〃There　they　are；〃　said　Garza　affectionately。　〃The　bad　boys　who'll　be　doing　the　lifting。〃　He　patted　the　closest　with　a　gloved　hand。　〃At　go…ahead；　we'll　lift　the　rock　exactly　six　centimeters。　Then　we'll　wedge　it；　reposition　the　jacks；　and　lift　again。　As　soon　as　we　get　enough　clearance；　we'll　start　building　the　cradle　underneath。　It'll　be　cramped；　and　cold　as　hell；　but　it's　the　only　way。〃
　〃We've　placed　fifty　percent　more　jacks　than　we　need；〃　added　Rochefort。　His　face　had　turned　mottled　in　the　cold；　and　his　nose　was　blue。　〃The　tunnel　was　designed　to　be　stronger　than　the　matrix　of　the　earth　itself。　It's　pletely　safe。〃　He　spoke　very　rapidly；　his　thin　lips　pressed　in　a　disapproving　frown；　as　if　he　felt　any　questioning　of　his　work　would　be　a　waste　of　time　as　well　as　an　affront。
　Garza　turned　away　from　the　meteorite　and　led　the　group　down　a　tunnel　that　branched　away　at　right　angles。　Several　smaller　tunnels　curved　away　from　its　right…hand　wall；　heading　to　other　exposed　areas　of　the　meteorite's　underside　and　additional　banks　of　jacks。　After　about　a　hundred　feet；　the　tunnel　opened　into　a　huge　subterranean　storage　room。　It　had　a　packed　dirt　floor　and　was　roofed　with　caisson　plates。　Inside；　I…beams；　laminated　timbers；　and　structural　steel　were　stacked　in　orderly　rows；　along　with　a　variety　of　construction　equipment。　Glinn　stood　at　the　far　end　of　the　space；　talking　quietly　to　a　technician。
　〃Jesus；〃　breathed　McFarlane。　〃This　place　is　huge。　I　can't　believe　you　built　it　in　a　couple　of　days。〃
　〃We　don't　want　anyone　nosing　around　our　warehouse；〃　said　Garza。　〃If　an　engineer　saw　all　this；　he'd　know　immediately　we　weren't　mining　iron。　Or　gold。　This　will　be　used　to　build　the　cradle；　bit　by　bit；　as　we　jack　up　the　meteorite　and　get　a　better　understanding　of　its　contours。　Over　there　are　precision　arc　welders；　acetylene　torches；　hot　riveting　equipment；　and　some　good　old…fashioned　woodworking　tools。〃
　Glinn　came　over；　nodding　first　at　McFarlane；　then　at　Amira。　〃Rachel；　please　sit　down。　You　look　tired。〃　He　indicated　a　pile　of　I…beams　as　a　seat。
　〃Tired。〃　She　gave　a　wan　smile。　〃And　amazed。〃
　〃I'm　eager　to　hear　your　report。〃
　McFarlane　squeezed　his　eyes　shut；　then　opened　them　again。　〃Nothing's　written　up　yet。　If　you　want　a　briefing；　you'll　have　to　settle　for　a　verbal　one。〃
　Glinn　tented　his　gloved　fingers　together；　nodding　as　McFarlane　removed　a　dog…eared　lab　notebook　from　his　jacket。　Every　breath　was　sending　up　a　plume　of　frost。　He　opened　it　and　flipped　briefly　through　many　pages　of　scribbled　notes。
　〃I　want　to　say　up　front　that　this　is　just　the　beginning。　Twelve　hours　gave　us　barely　enough　time　to　scratch　the　surface。〃
　Glinn　nodded　again；　silently。
　〃I'll　describe　the　results　of　the　tests；　but　I　warn　you：　they　don't　make　a　whole　lot　of　sense。　We　started　by　trying　to　determine　the　metal's　basic　properties　…　melting　point；　density；　electrical　resistance；　atomic　weight；　valence　…　that　sort　of　thing。　First　off；　we　heated　a　sample　to　find　its　melting　point。　We　brought　it　up　to　over　fifty　thousand　degrees　K；　vaporizing　the　gold　substrate。　It　still　remained　solid。〃
　Glinn's　eyes　were　half…lidded。　He　murmured；　〃So　that's　how　it　survived　the　impact。〃
　〃Exactly；〃　said　Amira。
　〃Then　we　tried　to　use　a　mass　spectrometer　to　find　its　atomic　weight。　Because　of　the　high　melting　point；　the　experiment　didn't　fly。　Even　with　the　microprobe；　we　couldn't　get　it　to　remain　a　gas　long　enough　to　run　the　test。〃
　McFarlane　flipped　some　pages。　〃Likewise　with　specific　gravity。　The　microprobe　didn't　give　us　a　large　enough　sample　to　determine　that。　It　appears　to　be　chemically　inactive　…　we　hit　it　with　every　solvent；　acid；　and　reactive　substance　we　could　find　in　the　lab　at　room　temperature　and　pressure；　as　well　as　at　high　temperatures　and　pressures。　Totally　inert。　It's　like　a　noble　gas；　except　it's　solid。　No　valence　electrons。〃
　〃Go　on。〃
　〃Then　we　wired　it　up　to　test　its　electromagnetic　properties。　And　that's　when　we　hit　pay　dirt。　Basically；　the　meteorite　seems　to　be　a　room…temperature　superconductor：　it　conducts　electricity　without　resistance。　You　put　a　current　into　it；　and　it　will　circulate　forever　unless　something　breaks　it　out。〃
　If　he　was　surprised　at　this；　Glinn　did　not　show　it。
　〃Then　we　hit　it　with　a　beam　of　neutrons。　It's　a　standard　test　on　an　unknown　material：　the　neutrons　cause　the　material　to　emit　X　rays；　which　tell　you　what's　inside　it。　But　in　this　case；　the　neutrons　just　disappeared。　Swallowed　up。　Gone。　It　did　the　same　thing　with　a　beam　of　protons。〃
　Now　Glinn　raised　his　eyebrows。
　〃That　would　be　like　shooting　a　forty…four　magnum　at　a　piece　of　paper；　and　having　the　bullet　vanish　into　the　paper；〃　said　Amira。