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第16部分（第2页）

〃So　do　we；〃　Harry　said。

〃We　do？〃　Beth　and　Norman　said　together。

But　Barnes　wasnt　listening。　〃And　the　ship　seems　to　have　picked　up　something　on　its　travels。〃

〃Picked　up　something？　What　is　it？〃

〃I　dont　know；〃　Barnes　said。　〃But　its　something　alien。〃

〃SOMETHING　ALIEN〃

The　moving　walkway　carried　them　past　endless　large　cargo　bays。　They　were　going　forward；　to　join　Barnes　and　Ted　and　Edmunds。　And　to　see　their　alien　discovery。

〃Why　would　anyone　send　a　spaceship　through　a　black　hole？〃　Beth　asked。

〃Because　of　gravity；〃　Harry　said。　〃You　see；　black　holes　have　so　much　gravity　they　distort　space　and　time　incredibly。　You　remember　how　Ted　was　saying　that　planets　and　stars　make　dents　in　the　fabric　of　space…time？　Well；　black　holes　make　tears　in　the　fabric。　And　some　people　think　its　possible　to　fly　through　those　tears；　into　another　universe；　or　another　part　of　our　universe。　Or　to　another　time。〃

〃Another　time！〃

〃Thats　the　idea；〃　Harry　said。

〃Are　you　people　ing？〃　Barness　tinny　voice；　on　the　monitor。

〃In　transit　now；〃　Beth　said；　glowering　at　the　screen。　〃He　cant　see　you；〃　Norman　said。

〃I　dont　care。〃

They　rode　past　more　cargo　areas。　Harry　said；　〃I　cant　wait　to　see　Teds　face　when　we　tell　him。〃

Finally　they　reached　the　end　of　the　walkway。　They　passed　through　a　midsection　of　struts　and　girders；　and　entered　a　large　forward　room　which　they　had　previously　seen　on　the　monitor。　With　ceilings　nearly　a　hundred　feet　high；　it　was　enormous。

You　could　put　a　six…story　building　in　this　room；　Norman　thought。　Looking　up；　he　saw　a　hazy　mist　or　fog。

〃Whats　that？〃

〃Thats　a　cloud；〃　Barnes　said；　shaking　his　head。　〃The　room　is　so　big　it　apparently　has　its　own　weather。　Maybe　it　even　rains　in　here　sometimes。〃

The　room　was　filled　with　machinery　on　an　immense　scale。　At　first　glance；　it　looked　like　oversized　earth…moving　machinery；　except　it　was　brightly　painted　in　primary　colors；　＇＇103＇＇　glistening　with　oil。　Then　Norman　began　to　notice　individual　features。　There　were　giant　claw　hands；　enormously　powerful　arms；　moving　gear　wheels。　And　an　array　of　buckets　and　receptacles。

He　realized　suddenly　he　was　looking　at　something　very　similar　to　the　grippers　and　claws　mounted　on　the　front　end　of　the　Charon　V　submersible　he　had　ridden　down　on　the　day　before。　Was　it　the　day　before？　Or　was　it　still　the　same　day？　Which　day？　Was　this　July　4？　How　long　had　they　been　down　here？

〃If　you　look　carefully；〃　Barnes　was　saying；　〃you　can　see　that　some　of　these　devices　appear　to　be　large…scale　weapons。　Others；　like　that　long　extensor　arm；　the　various　attachments　to　pick　things　up；　in　effect　make　this　ship　a　gigantic　robot。〃

〃A　robot　。。。〃

〃No　kidding；〃　Beth　said。

〃I　guess　it　would　have　been　appropriate　for　a　robot　to　open　it　after　all；〃　Ted　said　thoughtfully。　〃Maybe　even　fitting。〃

〃Snug　fitting；〃　Beth　said。

〃Pipe　fitting；〃　Norman　said。

〃Sort　of　robot…to…robot；　you　mean？〃　Harry　said。　〃Sort　of　a　meeting　of　the　threads　and　treads？〃

〃Hey；〃　Ted　said。　〃I　dont　make　fun　of　your　ments　even　when　theyre　stupid。〃

〃I　wasnt　aware　they　ever　were；〃　Harry　said。

〃You　say　foolish　things　sometimes。　Thoughtless。〃

〃Children；〃　Barnes　said；　〃can　we　get　back　to　the　business　at　hand？〃

〃Point　it　out　the　next　time；　Ted。〃

〃I　will。〃

〃Ill　be　glad　to　know　when　I　say　something　foolish。〃

〃No　problem。〃

〃Something　you　consider　foolish。〃

〃Tell　you　what；〃　Barnes　said　to　Norman；　〃when　we　go　back　to　the　surface；　lets　leave　these　two　down　here。〃

〃Surely　you　cant　think　of　going　back　now；〃　Ted　said。

〃Weve　already　voted。〃