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第14部分（第2页）

Harry　pushed　his　glasses　up　on　his　nose　and　said；　〃Ted；　for　once　in　your　life；　you　just　might　be　right。〃

They　both　grabbed　for　paper；　began　scribbling。

〃It　couldnt　be　a　Schwartzschild　hole…〃

〃…No；　no。　Have　to　be　rotating…〃

〃…Angular　momentum　would　assure　that…〃

〃…And　you　couldnt　approach　the　singularity…〃

〃…No；　the　tidal　forces…〃

〃…rip　you　apart…〃

〃But　if　you　just　dipped　below　the　event　horizon　。。。〃

〃Is　it　possible？　Did　they　have　the　nerve？〃

The　two　fell　silent；　making　calculations；　muttering　to　themselves。

＇＇89＇＇　〃What　is　it　about　a　black　hole？〃　Norman　said。　But　they　werent　listening　to　him　any　more。

The　inter　clicked。　Barnes　said；　〃Attention。　This　is　the　Captain　speaking。　I　want　all　hands　in　the　conference　room　on　the　double。〃

〃Were　in　the　conference　room；〃　Norman　said。

〃On　the　double。　Now。〃

〃Were　already　there；　Hal。〃

〃That　is　all；〃　Barnes　said；　and　the　inter　clicked　off。

THE　CONFERENCE

〃Ive　just　been　on　the　scrambler　with　Admiral　Spaulding　of　CincPac　Honolulu；〃　Barnes　said。　〃Apparently　Spaulding　just　learned　that　I　had　taken　civilians　to　saturated　depths　for　a　project　about　which　he　knew　nothing。　He　wasnt　happy　about　it。〃

There　was　a　silence。　They　all　looked　at　him。

〃He　demanded　that　all　the　civilians　be　sent　up　topside。〃　Good；　Norman　thought。　He　had　been　disappointed　by　what　they　had　found　so　far。　The　prospect　of　spending　another　seventy…two　hours　in　this　humid；　claustrophobic　environment　while　they　investigated　an　empty　space　vehicle　did　not　appeal　to　him。

〃I　thought；〃　Ted　said；　〃we　had　direct　authorization　from　the　President。〃

〃We　do；〃　Barnes　said；　〃but　there　is　the　question　of　the　storm。〃

〃What　storm？〃　Harry　said。

〃Theyre　reporting　fifteen…knot　winds　and　southeast　swells　on　the　surface。　It　looks　like　a　Pacific　cyclone　is　headed　our　way　and　will　reach　us　within　twenty…four　hours。〃

＇＇90＇＇　〃Theres　going　to　be　a　storm　here？〃　Beth　said。

〃Not　here；〃　Barnes　said。　〃Down　here　we　wont　feel　anything；　but　itll　be　rough　on　the　surface。　All　our　surface　support　ships　may　have　to　pull　out　and　steam　for　protected　harbors　in　Tonga。〃

〃So　wed　be　left　alone　down　here？〃

〃For　twenty…four　to　forty…eight　hours；　yes。　That　wouldnt　be　a　problem…were　entirely　self…sufficient…but　Spaulding　is　nervous　about　pulling　surface　support　when　there　are　civilians　below。　I　want　to　know　your　feelings。　Do　you　want　to　stay　down　and　continue　exploring　the　ship；　or　leave？〃

〃Stay。　Definitely；〃　Ted　said。　Barnes　said；　〃Beth？〃

〃I　came　here　to　investigate　unknown　life；〃　Beth　said；　〃but　there　isnt　any　life　on　that　ship。　It　just　isnt　what　I　thought　it　would　be…hoped　it　would　be。　I　say　we　go。〃

Barnes　said；　〃Norman？〃

〃Lets　admit　the　truth；〃　Norman　said。　〃Were　not　really　trained　for　a　saturated　environment　and　were　not　really　fortable　down　here。　At　least　Im　not。　And　were　not　the　best　people　to　evaluate　this　spacecraft。　At　this　point；　the　Navyd　be　much　better　off　with　a　team　of　NASA　engineers。　I　say；　go。〃

〃Harry？〃

〃Lets　get　the　hell　out；〃　Harry　said。

〃Any　particular　reason？〃　Barnes　said。

〃Call　it　intuition。〃

Ted　said；　〃I　cant　believe　you　would　say　that；　Harry；　just　when　we　have　this　fabulous　new　idea　about　the　ship…

〃Thats　beside　the　point　now；〃　Barnes　said　crisply。　〃Ill　make　the　arrangements　with　the　surface　to　pull　us　out　in　another　twelve　hours。〃

Ted　said；　〃God　damn　it！〃