danbrown.deceptionpoint-第28部分

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e　freshwater。〃
　〃Oh；　for　the　love　of　God！〃　Norah　exclaimed　with　a　hostile　groan。　〃Suddenly　everyone's　a　glaciologist！〃
　Corky　also　looked　skeptical。　〃But　wouldn't　PODS　have　spotted　any　brine　ice　pockets　when　it　did　its　density　scans？　After　all；　brine　ice　and　freshwater　ice　have　different　densities。〃
　〃Barely　different；〃　Rachel　said。
　〃Four　percent　is　a　substantial　difference；〃　Norah　challenged。
　〃Yes；　in　a　lab；〃　Rachel　replied。　〃But　PODS　takes　its　measurements　from　120　miles　up　in　space。　Its　puters　were　designed　to　differentiate　between　the　obvious…ice　and　slush；　granite　and　limestone。〃　She　turned　to　the　administrator。　〃Am　I　right　to　assume　that　when　PODS　measures　densities　from　space；　it　probably　lacks　the　resolution　to　distinguish　brine　ice　from　fresh　ice？〃
　The　administrator　nodded。　〃Correct。　A　four　percent　differential　is　below　PODS's　tolerance　threshold。　The　satellite　would　see　brine　ice　and　fresh　ice　as　identical。〃
　Tolland　now　looked　intrigued。　〃This　would　also　explain　the　static　water　level　in　the　shaft。〃　He　looked　at　Norah。　〃You　said　the　plankton　species　you　saw　in　the　extraction　shaft　was　called…〃
　〃G。　polyhedra；　Norah　declared。　〃And　now　you're　wondering　if　G。　polyhedra　is　capable　of　hibernating　inside　the　ice？　You'll　be　pleased　to　know　the　answer　is　yes。　Absolutely。　G。　polyhedra　is　found　in　droves　around　ice　shelves；　it　bioluminesces；　and　it　can　hibernate　inside　the　ice。　Any　other　questions？〃
　Everyone　exchanged　looks。　From　Norah's　tone；　there　was　obviously　some　sort　of　〃but〃…and　yet　it　seemed　she　had　just　confirmed　Rachel's　theory。
　〃So；〃　Tolland　ventured；　〃you're　saying　it's　possible；　right？　This　theory　makes　sense？〃
　〃Sure；〃　Norah　said；　〃if　you're　totally　retarded。〃
　Rachel　glared。　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃
　Norah　Mangor　locked　stares　with　Rachel。　〃I　imagine　in　your　business；　a　little　bit　of　knowledge　is　a　dangerous　thing？　Well；　trust　me　when　I　tell　you　that　the　same　holds　true　for　glaciology。〃　Norah's　eyes　shifted　now；　looking　at　each　of　the　four　people　around　her。　〃Let　me　clarify　this　for　everyone　once　and　for　all。　The　frozen　brine　pockets　that　Ms。　Sexton　has　proposed　do　occur。　They　are　what　glaciologists　call　interstices。　Interstices；　however；　form　not　as　pockets　of　saltwater　but　rather　as　highly　branched　networks　of　brine　ice　whose　tendrils　are　as　wide　as　a　human　hair。　That　meteorite　would　have　had　to　pass　through　one　hell　of　a　dense　series　of　interstices　to　release　enough　saltwater　to　create　a　three　percent　mixture　in　a　pool　that　deep。〃
　Ekstrom　scowled。　〃So　is　it　possible　or　not？〃
　〃Not　on　your　life；〃　Norah　said　flatly。　〃Totally　impossible。　I　would　have　hit　pockets　of　brine　ice　in　my　core　samples。〃
　〃Core　samples　are　drilled　essentially　in　random　spots；　right？〃　Rachel　asked。　〃Is　there　any　chance　the　cores'　placements；　simply　by　bad　luck；　could　have　missed　a　pocket　of　sea　ice？〃
　〃I　drilled　directly　down　over　the　meteorite。　Then　I　drilled　multiple　cores　only　a　few　yards　on　either　side。　You　can't　get　any　closer。〃
　〃Just　asking。〃
　〃The　point　is　moot；〃　Norah　said。　〃Brine　interstices　occur　only　in　seasonal　ice…ice　that　forms　and　melts　every　season。　The　Milne　Ice　Shelf　is　fast　ice…ice　that　forms　in　the　mountains　and　holds　fast　until　it　migrates　to　the　calving　zone　and　falls　into　the　sea。　As　convenient　as　frozen　plankton　would　be　for　explaining　this　mysterious　little　phenomenon；　I　can　guarantee　there　are　no　hidden　networks　of　frozen　plankton　in　this　glacier。〃
　The　group　fell　silent　again。
　Despite　the　stark　rebuttal　of　the　frozen　plankton　theory；　Rachel's　systematic　analysis　of　the　data　refused　to　accept　the　rejection。　Instinctively；　Rachel　knew　that　the　presence　of　frozen　plankton　in　the　glacier　beneath　them　was　the　simplest　solution　to　the　riddle。　The　Law　of　Parsimony；　she　thought。　Her　NRO　instructors　had　driven　it　into　her　subconscious。　When　multiple　explanations　exist；　the　simplest　is　usually　correct。
　Norah　Mangor　obviously　had　a　lot　to　lose　if　her　ice…core　data　was　wrong；　and　Rachel　wondered　if　maybe　Norah　had　seen　the　plankton；　realized　she'd　made　a　mistake　in　claiming　the　glacier　was　solid；　and　was　now　simply　trying　to　cover　her　tracks。
　〃All　I　know；〃　Rachel　said；　〃is　that　I　just　briefed　the　entire　White　House　staff　and　told　them　this　meteorite　was　discovered　in　a　pristine　matrix　of　ice　and　had　been　sealed　there；　untouched　by　outside　influence　since　1716；　when　it　broke　off　of　a　famous　meteorite　called　the　Jungersol。　This　fact　now　appears　to　be　in　some　question。〃
　The　NASA　administrator　was　silent；　his　expression　grave。
　Tolland　cleared　his　throat。　〃I　have　to　agree　with　Rachel。　There　was　saltwater　and　plankton　in　the　pool。　No　matter　what　the　explanation　is；　that　shaft　is　obviously　not　a　closed　environment。　We　can't　say　it　is。〃
　Corky　was　looking　unfortable。　〃Um；　folks；　not　to　sound　like　the　astrophysicist　here；　but　in　my　field　when　we　make　mistakes；　we're　usually　off　by　billions　of　years。　Is　this　little　plankton/saltwater　mix…up　really　all　that　important？　I　mean；　the　perfection　of　the　ice　surrounding　the　meteorite　in　no　way　affects　the　meteorite　itself；　right？　We　still　have　the　fossils。　Nobody　is　questioning　their　authenticity。　If　it　turns　out　we've　made　a　mistake　with　the　ice…core　data；　nobody　will　really　care。　All　they'll　care　about　is　that　we　found　proof　of　life　on　another　planet。〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　Dr。　Marlinson；〃　Rachel　said；　〃as　someone　who　analyzes　data　for　a　living；　I　have　to　disagree。　Any　tiny　flaw　in　the　data　NASA　presents　tonight　has　the　potential　to　cast　doubt　over　the　credibility　of　the　entire　discovery。　Including　the　authenticity　of　the　fossils。〃
　Corky's　jaw　fell　open。　〃What　are　you　talking　about？　Those　fossils　are　irrefutable！〃
　〃I　know　that。　You　know　that。　But　if　the　public　catches　wind　that　NASA　knowingly　presented　ice…core　data　that　was　in　question；　trust　me；　they　will　immediately　start　wondering　what　else　NASA　lied　about。〃
　Norah　stepped　forward；　eyes　flashing。　〃My　ice…core　data　is　not　in　question。〃　She　turned　to　the　administrator。　〃I　can　prove　to　you；　categorically；　that　there　is　no　brine　ice　trapped　anywhere　in　this　ice　shelf！〃
　The　administrator　eyed　her　a　long　moment。　〃How？〃
　Norah　outlined　her　plan。　When　she　was　done；　Rachel　had　to　admit；　the　idea　sounded　like　a　reasonable　one。
　The　administrator　did　not　look　so　sure。　〃And　the　results　will　be　definitive？〃
　〃One　hundred　percent　confirmation；〃　Norah　assured　him。　〃If　there's　one　goddamn　ounce　of　frozen　saltwater　anywhere　near　that　meteorite　shaft；　you　will　see　it。　Even　a　few　droplets　will　light　up　on　my　gear　like　Times　Square。〃
　The　administrator's　brow　furrowed　beneath　his　military　buzz　cut。　〃There's　not　much　time。　The　press　conference　is　in　a　couple　of　hours。〃
　〃I　can　be　back　in　twenty　minutes。〃
　〃How　far　out　on　the　glacier　did　you　say　you　have　to　go？〃
　〃Not　far。　Two　hundred　yards　should　do　it。〃
　Ekstrom　nodded。　〃Are　you　certain　it's　safe？〃
　〃I'll　take　flares；〃　Norah　replied。　〃And　Mike　will　go　with　me。〃
　Tolland's　head　shot　up。　〃I　will？〃
　〃You　sure　as　hell　will；　Mike！　We'll　be　tethered。　I'd　appreciate　a　strong　set　of　arms　out　there　if　the　wind　whips　up。〃
　〃But…〃
　〃She's　right；〃　the　administrator　said；　turning　to　Tolland。　〃If　she　goes；　she　can't　go　alone。　I'd　send　some　of　my　men　with　her；　but　frankly；　I'd　rather　keep　this　plankton　issue　to　ourselves　until　we　figure　out　if　it's　a　problem　or　not。〃
　Tolland　gave　a　reluctant　nod。
　〃I'd　like　to　go　too；〃　Rachel　said。
　Norah　spun　like　a　cobra。　〃The　hell　you　will。〃
　〃Actually；〃　the　administrator　said；　as　if　an　idea　had　just　occurred　to　him；　〃I　think　I'd　feel　safer　if　we　used　the　standard　quad　tether　configuration。　If　you　go　dual；　and　Mike　slips；　you'll　never　hold　him。　Four　people　are　a　lot　safer　than　two。〃　He　paused　glancing　at　Corky。　〃That　would　mean　either　you　or　Dr。　Ming。〃　Ekstrom　glanced　around　the　habisphere。　〃Where　is　Dr。　Ming；　anyway？〃
　〃I　haven't　seen　him　in　a　while；〃　Tolland　said。　〃He　might　be　catching　a　nap。〃
　Ekstrom　turned　to　Corky。　〃Dr。　Marlinson；　I　cannot　require　that　you　go　out　with　them；　and　yet…〃
　〃What　the　hell？〃　Corky　said。　〃Seeing　as　everyone　is　getting　along　so　well。〃
　〃No！〃　Norah　exclaimed。　〃Four　people　will　slow　us　down。　Mike　and　I　are　going　alone。〃
　〃You　are　not　going　alone。〃　The　administrator's　tone　was　final。　〃There's　a　reason　tethers　are　built　as　quads；　and　we're　going　to　do　this　as　safely　as　possible。　The　last　thing　I　need　is　an　accident　a　couple　hours　before　the　biggest　press　conference　in　NASA's　history。〃
　
　　
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　Gabrielle　Ashe　felt　a　precarious　uncertainty　as　she　sat　in　the　heavy　air　of　Marjorie　Tench's　office。　What　could　this　woman　possibly　want　with　me？　Behind　the　room's　sole　desk；　Tench　leaned　back　in　her　chair；　her　hard　features　seeming　to　radiate　pleasure　with　Gabrielle's　disfort。
　〃Does　the　smoke　bother　you？〃　Tench　asked；　tapping　a　fresh　cigarette　from　her　pack。
　〃No；〃　Gabrielle　lied。
　Tench　was　already　lighting　up　anyway。　〃You　and　your　candidate　have　taken　quite　an　interest　in　NASA　during　this　campaign。〃
　〃True；〃　Gabrielle　snapped；　making　no　effort　to　hide　her　anger；　〃thanks　to　some　creative　encouragement。　I'd　like　an　explanation。〃
　Tench　gave　an　innocent　pout。　〃You　want　to　know　why　I've　been　sending　you　e…mail　fodder　for　your　attack　on　NASA？〃
　〃The　information　you　sent　me　hurt　your　President。〃
　〃In　the　short　run；　yes。〃
　The　ominous　tone　in　Tench's　voice　made　Gabrielle　uneasy。　〃What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃
　〃Relax；　Gabrielle。　My　e…mails　didn't　change　things　much。　Senator　Sexton　was　NASA…bashing　long　before　I　stepped　in。　I　simply　helped　him　clarify　his　message。　Solidify　his　position。〃
　〃Solidify　his　position？〃
　〃Exactly。〃　Tench　smiled；　revealing　stained　teeth。　〃Which；　I　must　say；　he　did　quite　effectively　this　afternoon　on　CNN。〃
　Gabrielle　recalled　the　senator's　reaction　to　Tench's　fence…buster　question。　Yes；　I　would　act　to　abolish　NASA。　Sexton　had　gotten　himself　cornered；　but　he'd　played　out　of　the　rough　with　a　strong　drive。　It　was　the　right　move。　Wasn't　it？　From　Tench's　contented　look；　Gabrielle　sensed　there　was　information　missing。
　Tench　stood　suddenly；　her　lanky　frame　dominating　the　cramped　space。　With　the　cigarette　dangling　from　her　lips；　she　walked　over　to　a　wall　safe；　removed　a　thick　manila　envelope；　returned　to　the　desk；　and　sat　back