rludlum-shelby.thecassandracompact-第7节

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am。
　〃The　lab　doors　will　open　in　ten　seconds；〃　Reed　cautioned　her。
　〃On　my　way。〃
　Megan　worked　her　way　down　at　a　forty…five…degree　angle　to　the　circular　hatch　door。　Just　as　she　touched　the　handle；　she　heard　the　hiss　of　pressed　air　releasing　the　cylinder　bolts。　She　pushed　on　the　door　and　it　swung　away　smoothly。
　〃I'm　in。〃
　She　settled　herself　on　the　specially　lined　floor　and　felt　the　soles　of　her　booties　grip　the　Velcro…type　material。　Now　she　was　stable。　She　closed　the　door；　then　punched　in　a　code　on　the　alphanumeric　pad。　The　door　bolts　shot　home。
　She　turned　and　faced　the　space　lab's　work　area；　divided　into　a　dozen　modules。　Each　was　the　size　of　a　broom　closet；　each　was　designed　for　a　different　function　or　experiment。　Carefully；　she　walked　down　the　center　aisle；　barely　wide　enough　to　acmodate　her　shoulders；　past　the　Critical　Point　Facility　and　the　SPE　（Space　Physiology　Experiment）；　and　up　to　her　station；　the　Biorack。
　Like　the　other　stations；　the　Biorack　was　encased　in　titanium　housing　that　resembled　a　large　air…conditioning　duct；　four　feet　wide；　seven　feet　high；　with　the　top　two　feet　tilted　toward　the　user　at　a　thirty…degree　angle。　This　design　was　necessary　since　the　entire　lab　was　encased　in　a　large　cylinder。
　〃Today；　we　have　a　Chinese　menu；〃　Reed　said　cheerfully。　〃Choose　one　from　column　A；　and　one　from　column　B。〃
　Megan　stationed　herself　in　front　of　the　Biorack　and　flipped　the　power　switch。　The　uppermost　module；　the　freezer；　was　the　first　to　hum　to　life。　Then；　working　down；　the　cooler；　incubator　A；　the　Glovebox；　and　incubator　B；　all　came　on。　She　checked　the　access　and　control　panel；　then　finally；　at　knee…level；　the　power　plant。　The　Biorack；　or　Bernie；　as　the　unit　had　been　nicknamed；　was　functioning　flawlessly。
　Megan　checked　the　LCD　readouts　of　the　experiments　to　be　performed。　As　Reed　had　joked；　it　was　a　Chinese　menu　of　options。
　〃I　think　I'll　go　with　the　flu；　then　add　a　little　spice…　Legionnaires'　disease。〃
　Reed　chuckled。　〃Sounds　fine。　I'll　start　the　clock　as　soon　as　you're　in　the　Glovebox。〃
　The　Glovebox　was　a　shoebox…size　unit　that　protruded　ten　inches　from　the　Biorack。　Modeled　on　the　much　larger　containment　units　found　in　most　labs；　it　was　totally　secure。　But　unlike　its　earthbound　cousins；　this　box　had　been　designed　to　be　operated　in　microgravity。　This　allowed　Megan　and　her　fellow　scientists　to　study　organisms　in　a　way　not　possible　in　any　other　setting。
　She　fitted　her　hands　into　thick　rubber　gloves　that　extended　into　the　box。　The　seals　between　the　gloves　and　the　box　were　two　inches　of　solid　rubber；　metal；　and　Keflex…　a　thick；　virtually　unbreakable　glass。　Even　if　a　spill　occurred；　it　would　be　contained　within　the　box。
　Good　thing；　too；　she　thought；　given　that　she　was　handling　Legionnaires'　disease。
　Although　the　gloves　appeared　thick　and　ungainly；　they　were　actually　quite　sensitive。　Megan　touched　the　control　screen　located　inside　the　box　and　gently　pressed　a　three…digit　bination。　Almost　instantly；　one　of　the　fifty　panels…　no　bigger　than　partments　for　pact　disks…　slid　forward。　Instead　of　a　CD　nestled　in　the　recess；　there　was　a　circular　glass　tray；　three　inches　in　diameter；　a　quarter　inch　deep。　Even　without　the　microscope；　Megan　saw　the　greenish　gray　liquid　inside：　Legionnaires'　disease。
　Both　her　scientific　training　and　her　specialized　work　in　biochemistry　had　instilled　in　her　a　profound　respect　for　the　cultures　that　she　handled。　Even　under　the　most　secure　conditions；　she　never　forgot　what　it　was　she　was　holding。　Very　carefully；　she　set　down　the　glass　tray　on　the　pad。　Then　she　removed　the　cover；　exposing　the　bacteria。
　Reed's　voice　drifted　through　her　headset：　〃The　clock's　running。　Remember；　in　partial　gravity　you　only　have　thirty　minutes　for　each　of　the　experiments。　On　the　shuttle　you'll　be　able　to　take　your　time。〃
　Megan　was　grateful　for　his　professionalism。　Reed　never　distracted　his　scientists　by　speaking　to　them　in　the　course　of　an　experiment。　Once　she　had　opened　the　sample；　she　was　on　her　own。
　Megan　brought　forward　the　microscope　fixed　to　the　top　of　the　shoebox　and　took　a　deep　breath。　She　stared　at　the　specimen。　She　had　worked　with　Legionnaires'　disease　before；　it　was　like　looking　at　an　old　friend。
　〃Okay；　fella；〃　she　said　out　loud。　〃Let's　see　if　you　can　get　it　up　when　you　don't　weigh　so　much。〃
　She　touched　the　button　that　activated　the　video　recorder　and　went　to　work。
　
　
　Two　hours　later；　Megan　Olson　floated　from　the　Spacelab　back　to　the　mid…deck；　which　housed　the　sleep　stations；　food　lockers；　washrooms；　and　storage　lockers。　From　there；　she　climbed　the　ladder　to　the　flight　deck；　deserted　now；　and　maneuvered　her　way　to　the　inter。
　〃Okay；　guys。　Let　me　out。〃
　She　steadied　herself　as　the　air　pressure　inside　the　mock…up　was　equalized。　After　half　a　day　of　partial　weightlessness；　her　body　felt　extremely　heavy。　It　was　a　sensation　she　had　never　quite　gotten　used　to。　She　had　to　reassure　herself　that　she　weighed　a　perfect　118　pounds；　almost　all　of　it　highly　toned　muscle。
　When　the　pressure　was　correct；　the　cockpit　hatch　swung　open。　The　air…conditioned　breeze　that　hit　her　as　she　stepped　out　made　her　clothes　stick　to　her　skin。　Her　first　thought　after　a　training　session　was　always　the　same：　Thank　God　I　can　have　a　real　shower。　Onboard　the　mock…up；　she　had　practiced　taking　towel　baths。
　You'll　settle　for　towel　baths　i　f　you　get　to　go　at　all；　she　reminded　herself。
　〃You　did　very　well　in　there。〃
　Dylan　Reed；　a　tall；　distinguished…looking　man　in　his　late　forties；　greeted　Megan　as　she　came　out。
　〃Do　we　have　a　printout　of　the　results？〃　she　asked。
　〃The　puters　are　crunching　as　we　speak。〃
　〃This　is　the　third　test　we've　run　with　Legionnaires'。　I'll　bet　you　dinner　at　Sherlock's　that　these　results　will　be　the　same　as　the　other　two：　Legionnaires'　multiplies　ferociously；　even　in　the　small　adjustment　to　gravity　that　we've　been　able　to　make。　Imagine　when　we　can　run　the　experiments　in　microgravity　conditions。〃
　〃Do　you　really　think　I　would　bet　against　you？〃　Reed　laughed。
　Megan　followed　him　across　the　platform　to　the　elevator　that　took　them　to　ground　level。　When　she　got　out；　she　paused　and　looked　back　at　the　mock…up；　majestic　under　the　blaze　of　a　thousand　lights。
　〃I'll　bet　that's　the　way　she　looks　in　space；〃　she　said　softly。
　〃One　day；　you'll　take　a　space　walk　and　see　for　yourself；〃　Reed　assured　her。
　Megan's　voice　dropped。　〃One　day。。。〃
　As　one　of　the　alternate　crewmembers；　Megan　knew　that　her　chance　of　going　on　the　next　mission；　scheduled　to　leave　in　seven　days；　was　slim　to　none。　Reed's　group　of　scientists　were　in　top　condition。　One　of　them　would　literally　have　to　break　a　leg　in　order　for　her　to　move　into　the　slot。
　〃The　space　walk　can　wait；〃　Megan　said　as　they　walked　toward　the　trainees'　quarters。　〃What　I　need　right　now　is　a　hot　shower。〃
　〃I　almost　forgot；〃　Reed　said。　〃There's　someone　here　whom　I　think　you　know。〃
　She　frowned。　〃I　wasn't　expecting　anyone。〃
　〃It's　Jon　Smith。　He　arrived　a　little　while　ago。〃
　
　Two　hours　after　the　Gulfstream　had　gone　wheels…up　from　Venice's　Marco　Polo　Airport；　the　pilot　came　into　the　cabin　with　a　message　for　Smith。
　〃Any　reply；　sir？〃　he　asked　his　passenger。
　Smith　shook　his　head。　〃No。〃
　〃The　routing　change　from　Andrews　to　Houston　will　give　us　another　two　hours　of　flight　time。　You　can　get　some　sleep　if　you　want。〃
　Smith　thanked　the　pilot；　then　forced　himself　to　eat　some　cold　cuts　and　fruit　from　the　galley。　The　message　from　Klein　had　been　succinct。　Given　the　bloody　events　in　Venice　and　the　nature　of　the　material　Danko　had　brought　out　with　him；　Klein　wanted　a　face…to…face　briefing。　He　also　wanted　to　be　close　to　the　president；　who　was　visiting　Houston　as　a　show　of　support　for　the　space　program；　in　case　Smith's　information　had　to　be　brought　to　the　chief　executive's　attention　immediately。
　After　finishing　his　snack；　Smith　prepared　his　briefing　for　Klein。　He　also　mapped　out　what　he　thought　had　to　be　done　next　and　honed　his　arguments。　Before　he　knew　it；　the　jet　was　winging　over　the　Gulf　of　Mexico　on　its　final　approach　to　the　NASA　airfield。
　As　he　saw　the　vast　facility　e　into　view；　Smith　suddenly　remembered　Megan　Olson。　The　thought　of　her　brought　a　wele　smile　to　his　lips。
　The　pilot　taxied　the　craft　to　the　security　area　where　Air　Force　One　was　parked。　Smith　descended　the　steps　and　was　met　by　an　armed　air　police　sergeant　who　drove　him　to　the　visitors'　center。　In　the　distance　Smith　saw　the　grandstands；　packed　with　NASA　employees　listening　to　the　president's　address。　He　very　much　doubted　that　Klein　would　be　anywhere　near　the　center　of　attention。
　The　sergeant　showed　him　into　a　small　office　well　away　from　the　main　exhibits。　The　place　was　barren　except　for　a　government…issue　desk　and　several　chairs。　Klein　closed　the　state…of…the…art　laptop　he　had　been　working　on　and　came　to　Smith。
　〃Thank　God　you're　alive；　Jon。〃
　〃Thank　you；　sir。　Believe　me；　I　share　your　sentiment。〃
　Klein　never　failed　to　surprise　him。　Just　when　Smith　thought　that　the　head　of　Covert…One　had　ice　water　in　his　veins；　Klein　would　demonstrate　genuine　concern　for　the　mobile　cipher　he　had　sent　in　harm's　way。
　〃The　president　will　be　leaving　in　less　than　an　hour；　Jon；〃　Klein　informed　him。　〃Tell　me　what　happened　so　that　I　can　determine　whether　or　not　to　brief　him。〃