ssheldon.doomsdayconspiracy-第9部分

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　cigarette　lighter；　containing　a　tiny　white　crystal。
　〃What's　this？〃
　〃I　found　it　on　the　ground　Sunday　before　we　got　back　on　the　bus。〃
　
　Robert　examined　the　strange　object。　　It　was　as　light　as　paper　and　was　the　color　of　sand。　　A　rough　edge　at　one　end　indicated　that　it　might　be　part　of　another　piece。　　Part　of　the　equipment　that　was　in　the　weather　balloon？　　Or　part　of　a　UFO？
　
　〃Maybe　it　will　bring　you　luck；〃　said　Beckerman；　as　he　placed　the　bills　Robert　had　given　him　in　his　wallet。
　〃It　certainly　worked　for　me。〃
　
　He　smiled　broadly　and　got　into　the　car。　　It　was　time　to　ask　himself　the　hard　question：　Do　I　really　believe　in　UFOs？　　He　had　read　many　wild　newspaper　stories　about　people　who　said　they　had　been　beamed　up　into　spaceships　and　had　had　all　kinds　of　weird　experiences；　and　he　had　always　attributed　those　reports　to　people　who　were　either　looking　for　publicity　or　who　should　have　thrown　themselves　on　the　mercy　of　a　good　psychiatrist。　　But　in　the　past　few　years；　there　had　been　reports　that　were　less　easy　to　dismiss。　　Reports　of　UFO　sightings　by　astronauts；　Air　Force　pilots；　and　police　officials；　people　with　credibility；　who　shunned　publicity。　　In　addition　there　had　been　the　disturbing　report　of　the　UFO　crash　at　Roswell；　New　Mexico；　where　the　bodies　of　aliens　had　purportedly　been　discovered。　　The　government　was　supposed　to　have　hushed　that　up　and　removed　all　the　evidence。　　In　World　War　II；　pilots　had　reported　strange　sightings　of　what　they　called　Foo　fighters；　unidentified　objects　that　buzzed　them　and　then　disappeared。　　There　were　stories　of　towns　visited　by　unexplainable　objects　that　had　e　speeding　through　the　sky。　　What　if　there　really　are　aliens　in　UFOs　from　another　galaxy？　　Robert　wondered。　　How　would　it　afect　our　world？　　Would　it　mean　peace？　　War？
　
　The　end　of　civilization　as　we　know　it？　　He　found　himself　half　hoping　that　Hans　Beckerman　was　a　raving　lunatic；　and　that　what　had　crashed　was　really　a　weather　balloon。　　He　would　have　to　find　another　witness　either　to　verify　Beckerman's　story　or　to　refute　it。　　On　the　surface；　the　story　seemed　incredible；　but　yet；　there　was　something　nagging　at　Robert。　　If　it　was　only　a　weather　balloon　that　crashed；　even　if　it　did　carry　special　equipment；　why　was　I　called　into　a　meeting　at　the　National　Security　Agency　at　six　o'clock　in　the　morning　and　told　that　it　was　urgent　that　all　the　witnesses　be　found　quickly？　　Is　there　a　cover…up？　　And　ifso　。。。
　
　why？
　
　Later　that　day；　a　press　conference　was　held　in　Geneva　in　the　austere　offices　of　the　Swiss　Ministry　of　Internal　Affairs。　　There　were　more　than　fifty　reporters　in　the　room　and　an　overflow　crowd　outside　in　the　corridor。　　There　were　representatives　from　television；　radio；　and　the　press　from　more　than　a　dozen　countries；　many　of　them　loaded　down　with　microphones　and　television　gear。　　They　all　seemed　to　be　speaking　at　once。
　〃We've　heard　reports　that　it　was　not　a　weather　balloon。　　…。。〃
　〃Is　it　true　that　it　was　a　flying　saucer？〃
　〃There　are　rumors　that　there　were　alien　bodies　aboard　the　ship。
　〃Was　one　of　the　aliens　alive？〃
　〃Is　the　government　trying　to　hide　the　truth　from　the　people？　　The　press　officer　raised　his　voice　to　regain　control。
　〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；　there　has　been　a　simple　misunderstanding。
　
　We　get　calls　all　the　time。　　People　see　satellites；　shooting　stars。。。
　
　Isn't　it　interesting　that　reports　of　UFOs　are　always　made　anonymously？
　
　Perhaps　this　caller　really　believed　it　was　a　UFO；　but　in　actuality　it　was　a　weather　balloon　that　fell　to　the　ground。　　We　have　arranged　transportation　to　take　you　to　it。　　If　you　will　follow　me；　please　Fifteen　minutes　later；　two　busloads　of　reporters　and　television　cameras　were　on　their　way　to　Uetendorf　to　see　the　remains　of　a　weather…balloon　crash。　When　they　arrived；　they　stood　in　the　wet　grass　surveying　the　torn　metallic　envelope。　　The　press　officer　said；　〃This　is　your　mysterious　flying　saucer。　　It　was　sent　aloff　from　our　air　base　in　Vevey。　　To　the　best　of　our　knowledge；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　there　are　no　unidentified　flying　objects　that　our　government　has　not　been　able　to　explain　satisfactorily；　nor　to　our　knowledge；　are　there　any　extraterrestrials　visiting　us。　　It　is　our　government's　firm　policy　that　if　we　should　e　across　any　such　evidence；　we　would　immediately　make　that　information　available　to　the　public。　　If　there　are　no　further　questions。。。〃
　
　Hangar　17　at　Langley　Air　Force　Base　in　Virginia　was　locked　in　plete　and　rigid　security。　　Outside；　four　armed　marines　guarded　the　perimeter　of　the　building；　and　inside；　three　high…ranking　Army　officers　stayed　on　alternate　watches　of　eight　hours　each；　guarding　a　sealed　room　inside　the　hangar。　　None　of　the　officers　knew　what　he　was　guarding。
　
　Besides　the　scientists　and　doctors　who　were　working　inside；　there　had　been　only　three　visitors　permitted　in　the　sealed　chamber。
　
　The　fourth　visitor　was　just　arriving。　　He　was　greeted　by　Brigadier　General　Paxton；　the　officer　in　charge　of　security。
　〃Wele　to　our　menagerie。〃
　〃I've　been　looking　forward　to　this。〃
　〃You　won't　be　disappointed。　　e　this　way；　please。〃　　Outside　the　door　of　the　sealed　room　was　a　rack　containing　four　white；　sterile　suits　that　pletely　covered　the　body。
　〃Would　you　please　put　one　on？〃　the　general　asked。
　〃Certainly。〃　　Janus　slipped　into　the　suit。　　Only　his　face　was　visible　through　the　glass　mask。　　He　put　large　white　slippers　over　his　shoes；　and　the　general　led　him　to　the　entrance　of　the　sealed　room。　　The　marine　guard　stepped　aside；　and　the　general　opened　the　door。
　〃In　here。〃
　
　Janus　entered　the　chamber　and　looked　around。　　In　the　center　of　the　room　was　the　spaceship。　　On　white　autopsy　tables　at　the　other　side　lay　the　bodies　of　the　two　aliens。　　A　pathologist　was　performing　an　autopsy　on　one　of　them。
　
　General　Paxton　directed　the　visitor's　attention　to　the　spaceship。
　〃We're　dealing　here　with　what　we　believe　to　be　a　scout　ship；〃　General　Paxton　explained。
　〃We're　sure　it　has　some　way　of　municating　directly　with　the　mother　ship。〃
　
　The　two　men　moved　closer　to　examine　the　spacecraft。　　It　was　approximately　thirty…five　feet　in　diameter。　　The　interior　was　shaped　like　a　pearl；　had　an　expandable　ceiling；　and　contained　three　couches　that　resembled　recliner　chairs。　　The　walls　were　covered　with　panels　containing　vibrating　metal　disks。
　〃There's　a　lot　here　we　haven't　been　able　to　figure　out　yet；〃　General　Paxton　admitted。
　〃But　what　we've　already　learned　is　amazing。〃
　
　He　pointed　to　an　array　of　equipment　in　small　panels。
　〃There's　an　integrated　wide…field…of…view　optical　system；　what　appears　to　be　a　life…scan　system；　a　munication　system　with　voice…synthesis　capability；　and　a　navigational　system　that；　frankly；　has　us　stumped。　　We　think　it　works　on　some　kind　of　electromagnetic　pulse。〃
　〃Any　weapons　aboard？〃
　
　Janus　asked。
　
　General　Paxton　spread　out　his　hands　in　a　gesture　of　defeat。
　〃We're　not　sure。　　There's　a　lot　of　hardware　here　we　don't　begin　to　understand。〃
　〃What　is　its　source　of　energy？〃
　〃Our　best　guess　is　that　it　uses　monoatomic　hydrogen　in　a　closed　loop　so　that　its　waste　product；　water；　can　be　continuously　recycled　into　hydrogen　for　power。　　With　all　that　perpetual　energy；　it　has　a　free　ride　in　interplanetary　space。　　It　may　be　years　before　we　solve　all　the　secrets　here。　　And　there's　something　else　that's　puzzling。　　The　bodies　of　the　two　aliens　were　strapped　into　their　couches。　　But　the　indentations　in　the　third　couch　indicate　that　it　was　occupied。〃
　〃Are　you　saying；〃　Janus　asked　slowly；　〃that　one　may　be　missing？〃
　〃It　certainly　looks　that　way。〃
　
　Janus　stood　there　a　moment　frowning。
　〃Let's　have　a　look　at　our　trespassers。〃　　The　two　men　walked　over　to　the　tables　where　the　two　aliens　lay。　　Janus　stood　there　staring　at　the　strange　figures。
　
　It　was　incredible　that　things　so　foreign　to　humanity　could　exist　as　sentient　beings。　　The　foreheads　of　the　aliens　were　larger　than　he　had　expected。　　The　creatures　were　pletely　bald；　with　no　eyelids　or　eyebrows。　　The　eyes　resembled　Ping…Pong　balls。
　
　The　doctor　performing　the　autopsy　looked　up　as　the　men　approached。
　〃It's　fascinating；〃　he　said。
　〃A　hand　has　been　severed　from　one　of　the　aliens。　　There's　no　sign　of　blood；　but　there　are　what　appear　to　be　veins　that　contain　a　green　liquid。　　Most　of　it　has　drained　out。〃
　〃A　green　liquid？〃　Janus　asked。
　〃Yes。〃　　The　doctor　hesitated。
　〃We　believe　these　creatures　are　a　form　of　vegetable　life。〃
　〃A　thinking　vegetable？　　Are　you　serious？〃
　〃Watch　this。〃　　The　doctor　picked　up　a　watering　can　and　sprinkled　water　over　the　arm　of　the　alien　with　a　missing　hand。　　For　a　moment；　nothing　happened。　　And　then　suddenly；　at　the　end　of　the　arm；　green　matter　oozed　out　and　slowly　began　to　form　a　hand。
　
　The　two　men　stared；　shocked。
　〃Jesus！　　Are　these　things　dead　or　not？〃
　〃That's　an　interesting　question。　　These　two　figures　are　not　alive；　in　the　human　sense；　but　neither　do　they　fit　our　definition　of　death。　　I　would　say　they're　dormant。〃
　
　Janus　was　still　staring　at　the　newly　formed　hand。
　〃Many　plants　show　various　forms　of　intelligence。〃
　〃Intelligence？〃
　〃Oh；　yes。　　There　are　plants　that　disguise　themselves；　protect　themselves。　　At　this　moment；　we're　doing　some　amazing　experiments　on　plant　life。〃
　
　Janus　said；　〃I　would　like　to　see　those　experiments。〃
　〃Certainly。　　I'll　be　happy　to　arrange　it。〃
　
　The　huge　greenhouse　laboratory　was　in　a　plex　of　government　buildings　thirty　miles　outside　of　Washington；　D。C。　　Hanging　on　the　wall　was　an　inscription　that　read：　The　maples　and　ferns　are　still　uncorrupt；　Yet；　no　doubt；　when　they　e　to　consciousness；　They　too；　will　curse　and　swear。
　
　Ralph　Waldo　Emerson　Nature；　1836
　
　Professor　Rachman；　who　was　in　charge　of　the　plex；　was　an　earnest　gnome　of　a　man；　filled　with　enthusiasm　for　his　profession。
　〃It　was　Charles　Darwin　who　was　the　first　to　perceive　the　ability　of　plants　to　think。　　Luther　Burbank　followed　up　by　municating　with　them。〃
　〃You　really　believe　that　is　possible？〃
　〃We　know　it　is。　　George　Washington　Carver　muned　with　plants；　and　they　gave　him　hundreds　of　new　products。　　Carver　said；　'When　I　touch　a　flower；　I　am　touching　Infinity。　　Flowers　existed　long　before　there　were　human　beings　on　this　earth；　and　they　will　continue