p&c.icelimit-第31部分

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d　judgment　and　shafted　a　friend。　And　in　the　end；　your　evidence　turned　out　to　be　worthless。〃
　McFarlane　looked　at　her。　〃I　didn't　know　you　had　a　degree　in　psychiatry；　along　with　everything　else。〃
　She　leaned　closer；　pressing。　〃Sure；　I　heard　the　story。　The　point　is；　now　you've　got　what　you've　been　looking　for　all　these　years。　You've　got　more　than　evidence。　You've　got　proof。　But　you　don't　want　to　admit　it。　You're　afraid　to　go　down　that　road　again。〃
　McFarlane　held　her　gaze　for　a　minute。　He　felt　his　anger　drain　away。　He　slumped　in　his　chair；　his　mind　in　turmoil。　Could　she　be　right？　he　wondered。
　She　laughed。　〃Take　the　color；　for　example。　You　know　why　no　metals　are　deep　red？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Objects　are　a　certain　color　because　of　the　way　they　interact　with　photons　of　light。〃　Amira　shoved　a　hand　in　her　pocket　and　took　out　a　crumpled　paper　bag。　〃Jolly　Rancher？〃
　〃What　the　hell's　a　Jolly　Rancher？〃
　She　tossed　him　a　candy　and　shook　another　one　into　her　hand。　She　held　the　green　lozenge　up　between　thumb　and　forefinger。　〃Every　object；　except　for　a　perfect　blackbody；　absorbs　some　wavelengths　of　light　and　scatters　others。　Take　this　green　candy。　It's　green　because　its　scatters　the　green　wavelengths　of　light　back　at　our　eye；　while　absorbing　the　rest。　I've　run　a　few　pretty　little　calculations；　and　I　can't　find　a　single　theoretical　bination　of　alloyed　metals　that　will　scatter　red　light。　It　seems　to　be　impossible　for　any　known　alloy　to　be　deep　red。　Yellow；　white；　orange；　purple；　gray　…　but　not　red。〃　She　popped　the　green　candy　in　her　mouth；　bit　down　with　a　loud　crunch；　and　began　to　chew。
　McFarlane　placed　his　candy　on　the　table。　〃So　what　are　you　saying？〃
　〃You　know　what　I'm　saying。　I'm　saying　it's　made　of　some　weird　element　we've　never　seen　before。　So　stop　being　coy。　I　know　that's　what　you've　been　thinking：　This　is　it：　this　is　an　interstellar　meteorite。〃　
　McFarlane　raised　his　hand。　〃All　right；　it's　true；　I　have　been　thinking　about　it。〃
　〃And？〃
　〃All　the　meteorites　ever　found　have　been　made　from　known　elements　…　nickel；　iron；　carbon；　silicon。　They　all　formed　here；　in　our　own　solar　system；　out　of　the　primordial　cloud　of　dust　that　once　surrounded　our　sun。〃　He　paused；　choosing　his　words　carefully。　〃Obviously；　you　know　I　used　to　speculate　about　the　possibility　of　meteorites　ing　from　outside　the　solar　system。　A　chunk　of　something　that　just　happened　to　wander　past　and　get　caught　in　the　sun's　gravitational　field。　An　interstellar　meteorite。〃
　Amira　smiled　knowingly。　〃But　the　mathematicians　said　it　was　impossible：　a　quintillion　to　one。〃
　McFarlane　nodded。
　〃I　ran　some　calculations　back　on　the　ship。　The　mathematicians　were　wrong：　they　were　working　from　faulty　assumptions。　It's　only　about　a　billion　to　one。〃
　McFarlane　laughed。　〃Yeah。　Billion；　quintillion；　what's　the　difference？〃
　〃It's　a　billion　to　one　for　any　given　year。〃　
　McFarlane　stopped　laughing。
　〃That's　right；〃　said　Amira。　〃Over　billions　of　years；　there's　a　better　than　even　chance　that　one　did　land　on　Earth。　It's　not　only　possible；　it's　probable。　I　resurrected　your　little　theory　for　you。　You　owe　me；　big　time。〃
　A　silence　fell　in　the　missary　hut；　broken　only　by　the　rattle　of　wind。　Then　McFarlane　began　to　speak。　〃You　mean　you　really　believe　this　meteorite　is　made　of　some　alloy　or　metal　that　doesn't　exist　anywhere　in　the　solar　system？〃
　〃Yup。　And　you　believe　it；　too。　That's　why　you　haven't　written　your　report。〃
　McFarlane　went　on　slowly；　almost　to　himself。　〃If　this　metal　did　exist　somewhere；　we'd　have　found　at　least　some　trace　of　it。　After　all；　the　sun　and　the　planets　formed　from　the　same　dust　cloud。　So　it　must　have　e　from　beyond。〃　He　looked　at　her。　〃It's　inescapable。〃
　She　grinned。　〃My　thoughts　exactly。〃
　He　fell　silent　and　the　two　sat；　absorbed　for　the　moment。　〃We　need　to　get　our　hands　on　a　piece　of　it；〃　Amira　said　at　last。　〃I've　got　the　perfect　tool　for　the　job；　too；　a　highspeed　diamond　corer。　I'd　say　five　kilos　would　be　a　nice　chunk　to　start　with；　wouldn't　you？〃
　McFarlane　nodded。　〃But　let's　just　keep　our　speculations　to　ourselves　for　now。　Lloyd　and　the　rest　are　due　here　any　minute。〃
　As　if　on　cue；　there　was　a　stomping　outside　the　hut；　and　the　door　opened　to　reveal　Lloyd；　even　more　bearlike　than　usual　in　a　heavy　parka；　framed　against　the　dim　blue　light。　Glinn　followed；　then　Rochefort　and　Garza。　Lloyd's　assistant；　Penfold；　came　last；　shivering；　his　thick　lips　blue　and　pursed。
　〃Cold　as　a　witch's　tit　out　there；〃　Lloyd　cried；　stamping　his　feet　and　holding　his　hands　near　the　stove。　He　was　bubbling　over　with　good　humor。　The　men　from　EES；　on　the　other　hand；　simply　sat　down　at　the　table；　looking　subdued。
　Penfold　took　up　a　position　in　the　far　corner　of　the　room；　radio　in　hand。　〃Mr。　Lloyd　sir；　we　have　to　get　to　the　landing　site；〃　he　said。　〃Unless　the　helicopter　leaves　within　the　hour；　you'll　never　get　back　to　New　York　in　time　for　the　shareholders'　meeting。〃
　〃Yes；　yes。　In　a　minute。　I　want　to　hear　what　Sam　here　has　to　say。〃
　Penfold　sighed　and　murmured　into　the　radio。
　Glinn　glanced　at　McFarlane　with　his　gray；　serious　eyes。　〃Is　the　report　ready？〃
　〃Sure。〃　McFarlane　nodded　at　the　piece　of　paper。
　Glinn　glanced　at　it。　〃I'm　not　much　in　the　mood　for　drollery；　Dr。　McFarlane。〃
　It　was　the　first　time　McFarlane　had　seen　Glinn　show　irritation；　or　any　strong　emotion；　for　that　matter。　It　occurred　to　him　that　Glinn；　too；　must　have　been　shocked　by　what　they　found　in　the　hole。　This　is　a　man　who　hates　surprises；　he　thought。　〃Mr。　Glinn；　I　can't　base　a　report　on　speculation；〃　he　said。　〃I　need　to　study　it。〃
　〃I'll　tell　you　what　we　need；〃　Lloyd　said　loudly。　〃We　need　to　get　it　the　hell　out　of　the　ground　and　into　international　waters；　before　the　Chileans　get　wind　of　this。　You　can　study　it　later。〃　It　seemed　to　McFarlane　that　this　was　the　latest　salvo　in　a　continuing　argument　between　Glinn　and　Lloyd。
　〃Dr。　McFarlane；　perhaps　I　can　simplify　matters；〃　Glinn　said。　〃There's　one　thing　I'm　particularly　interested　in　knowing。　Is　it　dangerous？〃
　〃We　know　it's　not　radioactive。　It　might　be　poisonous；　I　suppose。　Most　metals　are；　to　one　degree　or　another。〃
　〃How　poisonous？〃
　McFarlane　shrugged。　〃Palmer　touched　it；　and　he's　still　alive。〃
　〃He'll　be　the　last　one　to　do　that；〃　Glinn　replied。　〃I've　given　orders　that　nobody　is　to　e　into　direct　contact　with　the　meteorite；　under　any　circumstances。〃　He　paused。　〃Anything　else？　Could　it　be　harboring　viruses？〃
　〃It's　been　sitting　there　for　millions　of　years；　so　any　alien　microbes　would　have　dispersed　long　ago。　It　might　be　worth　taking　soil　samples　and　collecting　moss；　lichen；　and　other　plants　from　the　area；　to　see　if　anything's　unusual。〃
　〃What　would　one　look　for？〃
　〃Mutations；　perhaps；　or　signs　of　low…level　exposure　to　toxins　or　teratogens。〃
　Glinn　nodded。　〃I'll　speak　to　Dr。　Brambell　about　it。　Dr。　Amira；　any　thoughts　on　its　metallurgical　properties？　It　is　a　metal；　isn't　it？〃
　There　was　another　crunch　of　candy。　〃Yes；　very　likely；　since　it's　ferromagnetic。　Like　gold；　it　doesn't　oxidize。　However；　I　can't　figure　out　how　a　metal　can　be　red。　Dr。　McFarlane　and　I　were　just　discussing　the　need　to　take　a　sample。〃
　〃Sample？〃　Lloyd　asked。　The　room　fell　silent　at　the　change　in　his　voice。
　〃Of　course；〃　said　McFarlane　after　a　moment。　〃It's　standard　procedure。〃
　〃You're　going　to　cut　a　piece　off　my　meteorite？〃
　McFarlane　looked　at　Lloyd；　and　then　at　Glinn。　〃Is　there　a　problem　with　that？〃
　〃You're　damn　right　there's　a　problem；〃　Lloyd　said。　〃This　is　a　museum　specimen。　We're　putting　it　on　display。　I　don't　want　it　chopped　up　or　drilled。〃
　〃There　isn't　a　major　meteorite　found　that　hasn't　been　sectioned。　We're　only　talking　about　coring　out　a　five…kilogram　piece。　That'll　be　enough　for　all　the　tests　anyone　could　conceivably　think　of。　A　piece　that　large　could　be　worked　on　for　years。〃
　Lloyd　shook　his　head。　〃No　way。〃
　〃We　must　do　it；〃　McFarlane　said　with　vehemence。　〃There's　no　way　to　study　this　meteorite　without　vaporizing；　melting；　polishing；　etching。　Given　the　size　of　this　thing；　the　sample　would　be　a　drop　in　the　bucket。〃
　〃It　ain't　the　Mona　Lisa；〃　Amira　murmured。
　〃That's　an　ignorant　ment；〃　Lloyd　said；　rounding　on　her。　Then　he　sank　back　with　a　sigh。　〃Cutting　it　up　seems　like　such　a　…　well；　a　sacrilege。　Couldn't　we　just　leave　it　a　mystery？〃
　〃Absolutely　not；〃　said　Glinn。　〃We　need　to　know　more　about　it　before　I'll　authorize　moving　it。　Dr。　McFarlane　is　right。〃
　Lloyd　stared　at　him；　his　face　reddening。　〃Before　you'll　authorize　moving　it？　Listen　to　me；　Eli。　I've　gone　along　with　all　your　little　rules。　I've　played　your　game。　But　let's　get　one　thing　straight：　I'm　paying　the　bills。　This　is　my　meteorite。　You　signed　a　contract　to　get　it　for　me。　You　like　to　brag　that　you've　never　failed。　If　this　ship　returns　to　New　York　without　that　meteorite；　you　will　have　failed。　Am　I　right？〃
　Glinn　looked　at　Lloyd。　Then　he　spoke　calmly；　almost　as　one　might　speak　to　a　child。　〃Mr。　Lloyd；　you　will　get　your　meteorite。　I　merely　want　to　see　you　have　it　without　anyone　getting　unnecessarily　hurt。　Isn't　that　what　you　want；　too？〃
　Lloyd　hesitated。　〃Of　course　it　is。〃
　McFarlane　was　amazed　at　how　quickly　Glinn　had　put　the　man　on　the　defensive。
　〃Then　all　I　am　asking　is　that　we　proceed　with　care。〃
　Lloyd　licked　his　lips。　〃It's　just　that　everything's　e　to　a　grinding　halt。　Why？　The　meteorite's　red。　So　I　ask　you；　what's　wrong　with　red？　I　think　it's　great。　Has　everybody　forgotten　about　our　friend　in　the　destroyer？　Time　is　the　one　thing　we　don't　have　here。〃
　〃Mr。　Lloyd！〃　Penfold　said；　holding　up　the　radio　appealingly；　like　a　beggar　might　hold　up　an　alms　cup。　〃The　helicopter。　Please！〃　
　〃God　damn　it！〃　Lloyd　cried。　After　a　moment；　he　spun　away。　〃All　right；　for　chrissakes；　take　your　sample。　Just　cap　the　hole　so　it　isn't　visible。　And　do　it　fast。　By　the　time　I　get　back　to　New　York；　I　want　that　son　of　a　bitch　on　the　move。〃　
　He　stomped　out　of　the　hut；　Penfold　at　his　heels。　The　door　banged　shut　behind　them。　For　a　minute；　maybe　two；　the　room　was　still。　Then　Amira　rose　to　her　feet。
　〃e　on；　Sam；〃　she　said。　〃Let's　drill　this　sucker。〃
　
　Isla　Desolacion；
　2：15　P。M。
　
　AFTER　THE　warmth　of　the　hut；　the　wind　felt　keen　as　a　knife。　McFarlane　shivered　as　he　followed　Amira　to　tech　stores；　thinking　longingly　of　the　dry　heat　of　the　Kalahari。
　The　container　was　longer　an