mc.prey-第27部分

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　There　was　a　lot　I　didn't　understand　about　the　swarms…and　a　lot　I　didn't　believe。　I　didn't　believe；　for　example；　that　the　swarms　were　reproducing。　I　thought　Ricky　and　the　others　must　be　pretty　unnerved　even　to　imagine　it。　After　all；　the　fifty　pounds　of　material　they'd　exhausted　into　the　environment　could　easily　account　for　the　three　swarms　I　had　seen…and　dozens　more　besides。　（I　was　guessing　that　each　swarm　consisted　of　three　pounds　of　nanoparticles。　That　was　roughly　the　weight　of　a　large　bee　swarm。）
　As　for　the　fact　that　these　swarms　showed　purposeful　behavior；　that　was　not　in　the　least　troubling；　it　was　the　intended　result　of　low…level　programming。　And　I　didn't　believe　the　swarms　were　coordinated。　It　simply　wasn't　possible；　because　the　fields　were　too　weak。　Nor　did　I　believe　the　swarms　had　the　adaptive　powers　that　Ricky　attributed　to　them。　I'd　seen　too　many　demos　of　robots　carrying　out　some　task…like　cooperating　to　push　a　box　around　the　room…which　was　interpreted　by　observers　as　intelligent　behavior；　when　in　fact　the　robots　were　stupid；　minimally　programmed；　and　cooperating　by　accident。　A　lot　of　behavior　looked　smarter　than　it　was。　（As　Charley　Davenport　used　to　say；　〃Ricky　should　thank　God　for　that。〃）　And　finally；　I　didn't　really　believe　that　the　swarms　were　dangerous。　I　didn't　think　that　a　three…pound　cloud　of　nanoparticles　could　represent　much　of　a　threat　to　anything；　not　even　a　rabbit。　I　wasn't　at　all　sure　it　had　been　killed。　I　seemed　to　recall　that　rabbits　were　nervous　creatures；　prone　to　die　of　fright。　Or　the　pursuing　particles　might　have　swarmed　in　through　the　nose　and　mouth；　blocking　the　respiratory　passages　and　choking　the　animal　to　death。　If　so；　the　death　was　accidental；　not　purposeful。　Accidental　death　made　more　sense　to　me。　In　short；　I　thought　that　Ricky　and　the　others　had　consistently　misinterpreted　what　they　saw。　They'd　spooked　themselves。
　On　the　other　hand；　I　had　to　admit　that　several　unanswered　questions　nagged　at　me。　The　first；　and　most　obvious；　was　why　the　swarm　had　escaped　their　control。　The　original　camera　swarm　was　designed　to　be　controlled　by　an　RF　transmitter　beaming　toward　it。　Now　apparently　the　swarm　ignored　transmitted　radio　mands；　and　I　didn't　understand　why。　I　suspected　an　error　in　manufacturing。　The　particles　had　probably　been　made　incorrectly。　Second　was　the　question　of　the　swarm's　longevity。　The　individual　particles　were　extremely　small；　subject　to　damage　from　cosmic　rays；　photochemical　decay；　dehydration　of　their　protein　chains；　and　other　environmental　factors。　In　the　harsh　desert；　all　the　swarms　should　have　shriveled　up　and　died　of　〃old　age〃　many　days　ago。　But　they　hadn't。　Why　not？　Third；　there　was　the　problem　of　the　swarm's　apparent　goal。　According　to　Ricky；　the　swarms　kept　ing　back　to　the　main　building。　Ricky　believed　they　were　trying　to　get　inside。　But　that　didn't　seem　to　be　a　reasonable　agent　goal；　and　I　wanted　to　look　at　the　program　code　to　see　what　was　causing　it。　Frankly；　I　suspected　a　bug　in　the　code。　And　finally；　I　wanted　to　know　why　they　had　pursued　the　rabbit。　Because　PREDPREY　didn't　program　units　to　bee　literal　predators。　It　merely　used　a　predator　model　to　keep　the　agents　focused　and　goal…oriented。　Somehow；　that　had　changed；　and　the　swarms　now　appeared　to　be　actually　hunting。
　That；　too；　was　probably　a　bug　in　the　code。
　To　my　mind；　all　these　uncertainties　came　down　to　a　single；　central　question…how　had　the　rabbit　died？　I　didn't　think　it　had　been　killed。　I　suspected　the　rabbit's　death　was　accidental；　not　purposeful。
　But　we　needed　to　find　out。
　I　adjusted　my　portable　radio　headset；　with　the　sunglasses　and　the　video　camera　mounted　by　the　left　eye。　I　picked　up　the　plastic　bag　for　the　rabbit's　body　and　turned　to　the　others。　〃Anybody　ing　with　me？〃
　There　was　an　unfortable　silence。
　Ricky　said；　〃What's　the　bag　for？〃
　〃To　bring　the　rabbit　back　in。〃
　〃No　fucking　way；〃　Ricky　said。　〃You　want　to　go　out　there；　that's　your　business。　But　you're　not　bringing　that　rabbit　back　here。〃
　〃You've　got　to　be　kidding；〃　I　said。
　〃I'm　not。　We　run　a　level…six　clean　environment　here；　Jack。　That　rabbit's　filthy。　Can't　e　in。〃
　〃All　right；　then；　we　can　store　it　in　Mae's　lab　and…〃
　〃No　way；　Jack。　Sorry。　It's　not　ing　through　the　first　airlock。〃　I　looked　at　the　others。　They　were　all　nodding　their　heads　in　agreement。
　〃All　right；　then。　I'll　examine　it　out　there。〃
　〃You're　really　going　to　go　out？〃
　〃Why　not？〃　I　looked　at　them；　one　after　another。　〃I　have　to　tell　you　guys；　I　think　you've　all　got　your　knickers　in　a　twist。　The　cloud's　not　dangerous。　And　yes；　I'm　going　out。〃　I　turned　to　Mae。　〃Do　you　have　a　dissection　kit　of　some　kind　that…〃
　〃I'll　e　with　you；〃　she　said　quietly。
　〃Okay。　Thanks。〃　I　was　surprised　that　Mae　was　the　first　to　e　around　to　my　way　of　seeing　things。　But　as　a　field　biologist；　she　was　probably　better　than　the　others　at　assessing　real…world　risk。　In　any　case；　her　decision　seemed　to　break　some　tension　in　the　room；　the　others　visibly　relaxed。　Mae　went　off　to　get　the　dissecting　tools　and　some　lab　equipment。　That　was　when　the　phone　rang。　Vince　answered　it；　and　turned　to　me。　〃You　know　somebody　named　Dr。　Ellen　Forman？〃
　〃Yes。〃　It　was　my　sister。
　〃She's　on　the　line。〃　Vince　handed　me　the　phone；　and　stepped　back。　I　felt　suddenly　nervous。　I　glanced　at　my　watch。　It　was　eleven　o'clock　in　the　morning；　time　for　Amanda's　morning　nap。　She　should　be　asleep　in　her　crib　by　now。　Then　I　remembered　I　had　promised　my　sister　I　would　call　her　at　eleven　to　check　in；　to　see　how　things　were　going。　I　said；　〃Hello？　Ellen？　Is　everything　all　right？〃
　〃Sure。　Fine。〃　A　long；　long　sigh。　〃It's　fine。　I　don't　know　how　you　do　it；　is　all。〃
　〃Tired？〃
　〃About　as　tired　as　I've　ever　felt。〃
　〃Kids　get　off　to　school　okay？〃
　Another　sigh。　〃Yes。　In　the　car；　Eric　hit　Nicole　on　the　back；　and　she　punched　him　on　the　ear。〃
　〃You've　got　to　interrupt　them　if　they　start　that；　Ellen。〃
　〃So　I'm　learning；〃　she　said　wearily。
　〃And　the　baby？　How's　her　rash？〃
　〃Better。　I'm　using　the　ointment。〃
　〃Her　movements　okay？〃
　〃Sure。　She's　well　coordinated　for　her　age。　Is　there　a　problem　I　should　know　about？〃
　〃No；　no；〃　I　said。　I　turned　away　from　the　group；　lowered　my　voice。　〃I　meant；　is　she　pooping　okay？〃
　Behind　me；　I　heard　Charley　Davenport　snicker。
　〃Copiously；〃　Ellen　said。　〃She's　sleeping　now。　I　took　her　to　the　park　for　a　while。　She　was　ready　to　go　down。　Everything's　okay　at　the　house。　Except　the　pilot　for　the　water　heater　went　out；　but　the　guy's　ing　to　fix　it。〃
　〃Good；　good　。。。　Listen；　Ellen；　I'm　in　the　middle　of　something　here…〃
　〃Jack？　Julia　called　from　the　hospital　a　few　minutes　ago。　She　was　looking　for　you。〃
　〃Uh…huh　。。。〃
　〃When　I　said　you'd　gone　to　Nevada；　she　got　pretty　upset。〃
　〃Is　that　right？〃
　〃She　said　you　didn't　understand。　And　you　were　going　to　make　it　worse。　Something　like　that。　I　think　you　better　call　her。　She　sounded　agitated。〃
　〃Okay。　I'll　call。〃
　〃How　are　things　going　out　there？　You　be　back　tonight？〃
　〃Not　tonight；〃　I　said。　〃Sometime　tomorrow　morning。　Ellen；　I　have　to　go　now…〃
　〃Call　the　kids　at　dinnertime；　if　you　can。　They'd　like　to　hear　from　you。　Auntie　Ellen　is　fine；　but　she's　not　Dad。　You　know　what　I　mean。〃
　〃Okay。　You'll　eat　at　six？〃
　〃About。〃
　I　told　her　I'd　try　to　call；　and　I　hung　up。
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　Mae　and　I　were　standing　by　the　double　glass　walls　of　the　outer　airlock；　just　inside　the　building　entrance。　Beyond　the　glass；　I　could　see　the　solid…steel　fire　door　that　led　outside。　Ricky　was　standing　beside　us；　gloomy　and　nervous；　watching　as　we　made　our　final　preparations。　〃You　sure　this　is　necessary？　To　go　outside？〃
　〃It's　essential。〃
　〃Why　don't　you　and　Mae　wait　until　nightfall；　and　go　out　then？〃
　〃Because　the　rabbit　won't　be　there；〃　I　said。　〃By　nightfall；　coyotes　or　hawks　will　have　e　and　taken　the　carcass　away。〃
　〃I　don't　know　about　that；〃　Ricky　said。　〃We　haven't　seen　any　coyotes　around　here　for　a　while。〃
　〃Oh　hell；〃　I　said　impatiently；　turning　on　my　radio　headset。　〃In　the　time　we've　spent　arguing　about　this；　we　could　have　been　out　and　back　already。　See　you；　Ricky。〃　I　went　through　the　glass　door；　and　stood　in　the　airlock。　The　door　hissed　shut　behind　me。　The　air　handlers　whooshed　briefly　in　the　now…familiar　pattern；　and　then　the　far　glass　slid　open。　I　walked　toward　the　steel　fire　door。　Looking　back；　I　saw　Mae　stepping　into　the　airlock。　I　opened　the　fire　door　a　crack。　Harsh；　glaring　sunlight　laid　a　burning　strip　on　the　floor。　I　felt　hot　air　on　my　face。　Over　the　inter；　Ricky　said；　〃Good　luck；　guys。〃　I　took　a　breath；　pushed　the　door　wider；　and　stepped　out　into　the　desert。　The　wind　had　dropped；　and　the　midmorning　heat　was　stifling。　Somewhere　a　bird　chittered；　otherwise　it　was　silent。　Standing　by　the　door；　I　squinted　in　the　glare　of　the　sunlight。　A　shiver　ran　down　my　back。　I　took　another　deep　breath。
　I　was　certain　that　the　swarms　were　not　dangerous。　But　now　that　I　was　outside；　my　theoretical　inferences　seemed　to　lose　force。　I　must　have　caught　Ricky's　tension；　because　I　was　feeling　distinctly　uneasy。　Now　that　I　was　outside；　the　rabbit　carcass　looked　much　farther　away　than　I　had　imagined。　It　was　perhaps　fifty　yards　from　the　door；　half　the　length　of　a　football　field。　The　surrounding　desert　seemed　barren　and　exposed。　I　scanned　the　shimmering　horizon；　looking　for　black　shapes。　I　saw　none。
　The　fire　door　opened　behind　me；　and　Mae　said；　〃Ready　when　you　are；　Jack。〃
　〃Then　let's　do　it。〃
　We　set　off　toward　the　rabbit；　feet　crunching　on　the　desert　sand。　We　moved　away　from　the　building。　Almost　immediately；　my　heart　began　to　pound；　and　I　started　to　sweat。　I　forced　myself　to　breathe　deeply　and　slowly；　working　to　stay　calm。　The　sun　was　hot　on　my　face。　I　knew　I　had　let　Ricky　spook　me；　but　I　couldn't　seem　to　help　it。　I　kept　glancing　toward　the　horizon。　Mae　was　a　couple　of　steps　behind　me。　I　said；　〃How're　you　doing？〃
　〃I'll　be　glad　when　it's　over。〃
　We　were　moving　through　a　field　of　knee…high　yellow　cholla　cactus。　Their　spines　caught　the　sun。　Here　and　there；　a　large　barrel　cactus　stuck　up　from　the　floor　like　a　bristling　green　thumb。　Some　small；　silent　birds　hopped　on　the　ground；　beneath　the　cholla。　As　we　approached；　they　took　to　the　air；　wheeling　specks　against　the　blue。　They　landed　a　hundred　yards　away。　At　last　we　came　to　the　rabbit；　surrounded　by　a　buzzing　bl