danbrown.deceptionpoint-第12部分

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　yards　farther　and　rolled　to　a　stop　at　a　red　line　spray…painted　boldly　across　the　ice。
　The　view　to　the　right　was　nothing　but　a　wall　of　snow　in　the　moonlight…the　side　of　an　ice　berm。　The　view　on　the　left　was　identical。　Only　through　the　windshield　ahead　of　them　did　Rachel　have　any　visibility。。。　an　endless　expanse　of　ice。　She　felt　like　she　had　landed　on　a　dead　planet。　Aside　from　the　line　on　the　ice；　there　were　no　signs　of　life。
　Then　Rachel　heard　it。　In　the　distance；　another　engine　was　approaching。　Higher　pitched。　The　sound　grew　louder　until　a　machine　came　into　view。　It　was　a　large；　multitreaded　snow　tractor　churning　toward　them　up　the　ice　trough。　Tall　and　spindly；　it　looked　like　a　towering　futuristic　insect　grinding　toward　them　on　voracious　spinning　feet。　Mounted　high　on　the　chassis　was　an　enclosed　Plexiglas　cabin　with　a　rack　of　floodlights　illuminating　its　way。
　The　machine　shuddered　to　a　halt　directly　beside　the　F…14。　The　door　on　the　Plexiglas　cabin　opened；　and　a　figure　climbed　down　a　ladder　onto　the　ice。　He　was　bundled　from　head　to　foot　in　a　puffy　white　jumpsuit　that　gave　the　impression　he　had　been　inflated。
　Mad　Max　meets　the　Pillsbury　Dough　Boy；　Rachel　thought；　relieved　at　least　to　see　this　strange　planet　was　inhabited。
　The　man　signaled　for　the　F…14　pilot　to　pop　the　hatch。
　The　pilot　obeyed。
　When　the　cockpit　opened；　the　gust　of　air　that　tore　through　Rachel's　body　chilled　her　instantly　to　the　core。
　Close　the　damn　lid！
　〃Ms。　Sexton？〃　the　figure　called　up　to　her。　His　accent　was　American。　〃On　behalf　of　NASA；　I　wele　you。〃
　Rachel　was　shivering。　Thanks　a　million。
　〃Please　unhook　your　flight　harness；　leave　your　helmet　in　the　craft；　and　deplane　by　using　the　fuselage　toe…holds。　Do　you　have　any　questions？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Rachel　shouted　back。　〃Where　the　hell　am　I？〃
　
　　
　17
　Marjorie　Tench…senior　adviser　to　the　President…was　a　loping　skeleton　of　a　creature。　Her　gaunt　six…foot　frame　resembled　an　Erector　Set　construction　of　joints　and　limbs。　Overhanging　her　precarious　body　was　a　jaundiced　face　whose　skin　resembled　a　sheet　of　parchment　paper　punctured　by　two　emotionless　eyes。　At　fifty…one；　she　looked　seventy。
　Tench　was　revered　in　Washington　as　a　goddess　in　the　political　arena。　She　was　said　to　possess　analytical　skills　that　bordered　on　the　clairvoyant。　Her　decade　running　the　State　Department's　Bureau　of　Intelligence　and　Research　had　helped　hone　a　lethally　sharp；　critical　mind。　Unfortunately；　acpanying　Tench's　political　savvy　came　an　icy　temperament　that　few　could　endure　for　more　than　a　few　minutes。　Marjorie　Tench　had　been　blessed　with　all　the　brains　of　a　superputer…and　the　warmth　of　one；　too。　Nonetheless；　President　Zach　Herney　had　little　trouble　tolerating　the　woman's　idiosyncrasies；　her　intellect　and　hard　work　were　almost　single…handedly　responsible　for　putting　Herney　in　office　in　the　first　place。
　〃Marjorie；〃　the　President　said；　standing　to　wele　her　into　the　Oval　Office。　〃What　can　I　do　for　you？〃　He　did　not　offer　her　a　seat。　The　typical　social　graces　did　not　apply　to　women　like　Marjorie　Tench。　If　Tench　wanted　a　seat；　she　would　damn　well　take　one。
　〃I　see　you　set　the　staff　briefing　for　four　o'clock　this　afternoon。〃　Her　voice　was　raspy　from　cigarettes。　〃Excellent。〃
　Tench　paced　a　moment；　and　Herney　sensed　the　intricate　cogs　of　her　mind　turning　over　and　over。　He　was　grateful。　Marjorie　Tench　was　one　of　the　select　few　on　the　President's　staff　who　was　fully　aware　of　the　NASA　discovery；　and　her　political　savvy　was　helping　the　President　plan　his　strategy。
　〃This　CNN　debate　today　at　one　o'clock；〃　Tench　said；　coughing。　〃Who　are　we　sending　to　spar　with　Sexton？〃
　Herney　smiled。　〃A　junior　campaign　spokesperson。〃　The　political　tactic　of　frustrating　the　〃hunter〃　by　never　sending　him　any　big　game　was　as　old　as　debates　themselves。
　〃I　have　a　better　idea；〃　Tench　said；　her　barren　eyes　finding　his。　〃Let　me　take　the　spot　myself。〃
　Zach　Herney's　head　shot　up。　〃You？〃　What　the　hell　is　she　thinking？　〃Marjorie；　you　don't　do　media　spots。　Besides；　it's　a　midday　cable　show。　If　I　send　my　senior　adviser；　what　kind　of　message　does　that　send？　It　makes　us　look　like　we're　panicking。〃
　〃Exactly。〃
　Herney　studied　her。　Whatever　convoluted　scheme　Tench　was　hatching；　there　was　no　way　in　hell　Herney　would　permit　her　to　appear　on　CNN。　Anyone　who　had　ever　laid　eyes　on　Marjorie　Tench　knew　there　was　a　reason　she　worked　behind　the　scenes。　Tench　was　a　frightful…looking　woman…not　the　kind　of　face　a　President　wanted　delivering　the　White　House　message。
　〃I　am　taking　this　CNN　debate；〃　she　repeated。　This　time　she　was　not　asking。
　〃Marjorie；〃　the　President　maneuvered；　feeling　uneasy　now；　〃Sexton's　campaign　will　obviously　claim　your　presence　on　CNN　is　proof　the　White　House　is　running　scared。　Sending　out　our　big　guns　early　makes　us　look　desperate。〃
　The　woman　gave　a　quiet　nod　and　lit　a　cigarette。　〃The　more　desperate　we　look；　the　better。〃
　For　the　next　sixty　seconds；　Marjorie　Tench　outlined　why　the　President　would　be　sending　her　to　the　CNN　debate　instead　of　some　lowly　campaign　staffer。　When　Tench　was　finished；　the　President　could　only　stare　in　amazement。
　Once　again；　Marjorie　Tench　had　proven　herself　a　political　genius。
　
　　
　18
　The　Milne　Ice　Shelf　is　the　largest　solid　ice　floe　in　the　Northern　Hemisphere。　Located　above　the　Eighty…second　Parallel　on　the　northernmost　coast　of　Ellesmere　Island　in　the　high　Arctic；　the　Milne　Ice　Shelf　is　four　miles　wide　and　reaches　thicknesses　of　over　three　hundred　feet。
　Now；　as　Rachel　climbed　into　the　Plexiglas　enclosure　atop　the　ice　tractor；　she　was　grateful　for　the　extra　parka　and　gloves　waiting　for　her　on　her　seat；　as　well　as　the　heat　pouring　out　of　the　tractor's　vents。　Outside；　on　the　ice　runway；　the　F…14's　engines　roared；　and　the　plane　began　taxiing　away。
　Rachel　looked　up　in　alarm。　〃He's　leaving？〃
　Her　new　host　climbed　into　the　tractor；　nodding。　〃Only　science　personnel　and　immediate　NASA　support　team　members　are　allowed　on…site。〃
　As　the　F…14　tore　off　into　the　sunless　sky；　Rachel　felt　suddenly　marooned。
　〃We'll　be　taking　the　IceRover　from　here；〃　the　man　said。　〃The　administrator　is　waiting。〃
　Rachel　gazed　out　at　the　silvery　path　of　ice　before　them　and　tried　to　imagine　what　the　hell　the　administrator　of　NASA　was　doing　up　here。
　〃Hold　on；〃　the　NASA　man　shouted；　working　some　levers。　With　a　grinding　growl；　the　machine　rotated　ninety　degrees　in　place　like　a　treaded　army　tank。　It　was　now　facing　the　high　wall　of　a　snow　berm。
　Rachel　looked　at　the　steep　incline　and　felt　a　ripple　of　fear。　Surely　he　doesn't　intend　to…
　〃Rock　and　roll！〃　The　driver　popped　the　clutch；　and　the　craft　accelerated　directly　toward　the　slope。　Rachel　let　out　a　muffled　cry　and　held　on。　As　they　hit　the　incline；　the　spiked　treads　tore　into　the　snow；　and　the　contraption　began　to　climb。　Rachel　was　certain　they　would　tip　over　backward；　but　the　cabin　remained　surprisingly　horizontal　as　the　treads　clawed　up　the　slope。　When　the　huge　machine　heaved　up　onto　the　crest　of　the　berm；　the　driver　brought　it　to　a　stop　and　beamed　at　his　white…knuckled　passenger。　〃Try　that　in　an　SUV！　We　took　the　shock…system　design　from　the　Mars　Pathfinder　and　popped　it　on　this　baby！　Worked　like　a　charm。〃
　Rachel　gave　a　wan　nod。　〃Neat。〃
　Sitting　now　atop　the　snow　berm；　Rachel　looked　out　at　the　inconceivable　view。　One　more　large　berm　stood　before　them；　and　then　the　undulations　stopped　abruptly。　Beyond；　the　ice　smoothed　into　a　glistening　expanse　that　was　inclined　ever　so　slightly。　The　moonlit　sheet　of　ice　stretched　out　into　the　distance；　where　it　eventually　narrowed　and　snaked　up　into　the　mountains。
　〃That's　the　Milne　Glacier；〃　the　driver　said；　pointing　up　into　the　mountains。　〃Starts　up　there　and　flows　down　into　this　wide　delta　that　we're　sitting　on　now。〃
　The　driver　gunned　the　engine　again；　and　Rachel　held　on　as　the　craft　accelerated　down　the　steep　face。　At　the　bottom；　they　clawed　across　another　ice　river　and　rocketed　up　the　next　berm。　Mounting　the　crest　and　quickly　skimming　down　the　far　side；　they　slid　out　onto　a　smooth　sheet　of　ice　and　started　crunching　across　the　glacier。
　〃How　far？〃　Rachel　saw　nothing　but　ice　in　front　of　them。
　〃About　two　miles　ahead。〃
　Rachel　thought　it　seemed　far。　The　wind　outside　pounded　the　IceRover　in　relentless　gusts；　rattling　the　Plexiglas　as　if　trying　to　hurl　them　back　toward　the　sea。
　〃That's　the　katabatic　wind；〃　the　driver　yelled。　〃Get　used　to　it！〃　He　explained　that　this　area　had　a　permanent　offshore　gale　called　the　katabatic…Greek　for　flowing　downhill。　The　relentless　wind　was　apparently　the　product　of　heavy；　cold　air　〃flowing〃　down　the　glacial　face　like　a　raging　river　downhill。　〃This　is　the　only　place　on　earth；〃　the　driver　added；　laughing；　〃where　hell　actually　freezes　over！〃
　Several　minutes　later；　Rachel　began　to　see　a　hazy　shape　in　the　distance　in　front　of　them…the　silhouette　of　an　enormous　white　dome　emerging　from　the　ice。　Rachel　rubbed　her　eyes。　What　in　the　world。。。　？
　〃Big　Eskimos　up　here；　eh？〃　the　man　joked。
　Rachel　tried　to　make　sense　of　the　structure。　It　looked　like　a　scaled…down　Houston　Astrodome。
　〃NASA　put　it　up　a　week　and　a　half　ago；〃　he　said。　〃Multistage　inflatable　plexipolysorbate。　Inflate　the　pieces；　affix　them　to　one　another；　connect　the　whole　thing　to　the　ice　with　pitons　and　wires。　Looks　like　an　enclosed　big　top　tent；　but　it's　actually　the　NASA　prototype　for　the　portable　habitat　we　hope　to　use　on　Mars　someday。　We　call　it　a　'habisphere。'〃
　〃Habisphere？〃
　〃Yeah；　get　it？　Because　it's　not　a　whole　sphere；　it's　only　habi…sphere。〃
　Rachel　smiled　and　stared　out　at　the　bizarre　building　now　looming　closer　on　the　glacial　plain。　〃And　because　NASA　hasn't　gone　to　Mars　yet；　you　guys　decided　to　have　a　big　sleepover　out　here　instead？〃
　The　man　laughed。　〃Actually；　I　would　have　preferred　Tahiti；　but　fate　pretty　much　decided　the　location。〃
　Rachel　gazed　uncertainly　up　at　the　edifice。　The　off…white　shell　was　a　ghostly　contour　against　a　dark　sky。　As　the　IceRover　neared　the　structure；　it　ground　to　a　stop　at　a　small　door　on　the　side　of　the　dome；　which　was　now　opening。　Light　from　inside　spilled　out　onto　the　snow。　A　figure　stepped　out。　He　was　a　bulky　giant　wearing　a　black　fleece　pullover　that　amplified　his　size　and　made　him　look　like　a　bear。　He　moved　toward　the　IceRover。
　Rachel　had　no　doubt　who　the　hug