danbrown.deceptionpoint-第45部分

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　It's　the　magnitude　of　the　audience；　he　told　himself。　And　yet　he　knew　something　else。　Instinct。　Something　he　had　seen。
　It　had　been　such　a　little　thing；　and　yet。。。　
　He　told　himself　to　forget　it。　It　was　nothing。　And　yet　it　stuck。
　Tench。
　Moments　ago；　as　Herney　was　preparing　to　take　the　stage；　he　had　seen　Marjorie　Tench　in　the　yellow　hallway；　talking　on　a　cordless　phone。　This　was　strange　in　itself；　but　it　was　made　more　so　by　the　White　House　operator　standing　beside　her；　her　face　white　with　apprehension。　Herney　could　not　hear　Tench's　phone　conversation；　but　he　could　see　it　was　contentious。　Tench　was　arguing　with　a　vehemence　and　anger　the　President　had　seldom　seen…even　from　Tench。　He　paused　a　moment　and　caught　her　eye；　inquisitive。
　Tench　gave　him　the　thumbs…up。　Herney　had　never　seen　Tench　give　anyone　the　thumbs…up。　It　was　the　last　image　in　Herney's　mind　as　he　was　cued　onto　the　stage。
　　
　On　the　blue　rug　in　the　press　area　inside　the　NASA　habisphere　on　Ellesmere　Island；　Administrator　Lawrence　Ekstrom　was　seated　at　the　center　of　the　long　symposium　table；　flanked　by　top　NASA　officials　and　scientists。　On　a　large　monitor　facing　them　the　President's　opening　statement　was　being　piped　in　live。　The　remainder　of　the　NASA　crew　was　huddled　around　other　monitors；　teeming　with　excitement　as　their　mander…in…chief　launched　into　his　press　conference。
　〃Good　evening；〃　Herney　was　saying；　sounding　uncharacteristically　stiff。　〃To　my　fellow　countrymen；　and　to　our　friends　around　the　world。。。　〃
　Ekstrom　gazed　at　the　huge　charred　mass　of　rock　displayed　prominently　in　front　of　him。　His　eyes　moved　to　a　standby　monitor；　where　he　watched　himself；　flanked　by　his　most　austere　personnel；　against　a　backdrop　of　a　huge　American　flag　and　NASA　logo。　The　dramatic　lighting　made　the　setting　look　like　some　kind　of　neomodern　painting…the　twelve　apostles　at　the　last　supper。　Zach　Herney　had　turned　this　whole　thing　into　a　political　sideshow。　Herney　had　no　choice。　Ekstrom　still　felt　like　a　televangelist；　packaging　God　for　the　masses。
　In　about　five　minutes　the　President　would　introduce　Ekstrom　and　his　NASA　staff。　Then；　in　a　dramatic　satellite　linkup　from　the　top　of　the　world；　NASA　would　join　the　President　in　sharing　this　news　with　the　world。　After　a　brief　account　of　how　the　discovery　was　made；　what　it　meant　for　space　science；　and　some　mutual　backpatting；　NASA　and　the　President　would　hand　duty　off　to　celebrity　scientist　Michael　Tolland；　whose　documentary　would　roll　for　just　under　fifteen　minutes。　Afterward；　with　credibility　and　enthusiasm　at　its　peak；　Ekstrom　and　the　President　would　say　their　good…nights；　promising　more　information　to　e　in　the　days　ahead　via　endless　NASA　press　conferences。
　As　Ekstrom　sat　and　waited　for　his　cue；　he　felt　a　cavernous　shame　settling　inside　him。　He'd　known　he　would　feel　it。　He'd　been　expecting　it。
　He'd　told　lies。。。　endorsed　untruths。
　Somehow；　though；　the　lies　seemed　inconsequential　now。　Ekstrom　had　a　bigger　weight　on　his　mind。
　　
　In　the　chaos　of　the　ABC　production　room；　Gabrielle　Ashe　stood　shoulder　to　shoulder　with　dozens　of　strangers；　all　necks　craned　toward　the　bank　of　television　monitors　suspended　from　the　ceiling。　A　hush　fell　as　the　moment　arrived。　Gabrielle　closed　her　eyes；　praying　that　when　she　opened　them　she　would　not　be　looking　at　images　of　her　own　naked　body。
　　
　The　air　inside　Senator　Sexton's　den　was　alive　with　excitement。　All　of　his　visitors　were　standing　now；　their　eyes　glued　to　the　large…screen　television。
　Zach　Herney　stood　before　the　world；　and　incredibly；　his　greeting　had　been　awkward。　He　seemed　momentarily　uncertain。
　He　looks　shaky；　Sexton　thought。　He　never　looks　shaky。
　〃Look　at　him；〃　somebody　whispered。　〃It　has　to　be　bad　news。〃
　The　space　station？　Sexton　wondered。
　Herney　looked　directly　into　the　camera　and　took　a　deep　breath。　〃My　friends；　I　have　puzzled　for　many　days　now　over　how　best　to　make　this　announcement。。。　〃
　Three　easy　words；　Senator　Sexton　willed　him。　We　blew　it。
　Herney　spoke　for　a　moment　about　how　unfortunate　it　was　that　NASA　had　bee　such　an　issue　in　this　election　and　how；　that　being　the　case；　he　felt　he　needed　to　preface　the　timing　of　his　impending　statement　with　an　apology。
　〃I　would　have　preferred　any　other　moment　in　history　to　make　this　announcement；〃　he　said。　〃The　political　charge　in　the　air　tends　to　make　doubters　out　of　dreamers；　and　yet　as　your　President；　I　have　no　choice　but　to　share　with　you　what　I　have　recently　learned。〃　He　smiled。　〃It　seems　the　magic　of　the　cosmos　is　something　which　does　not　work　on　any　human　schedule。。。　not　even　that　of　a　president。〃
　Everyone　in　Sexton's　den　seemed　to　recoil　in　unison。　What？
　〃Two　weeks　ago；〃　Herney　said；　〃NASA's　new　Polar　Orbiting　Density　Scanner　passed　over　the　Milne　Ice　Shelf　on　Ellesmere　Island；　a　remote　landmass　located　above　the　Eightieth　Parallel　in　the　high　Arctic　Ocean。〃
　Sexton　and　the　others　exchanged　confused　looks。
　〃This　NASA　satellite；〃　Herney　continued；　〃detected　a　large；　high…density　rock　buried　two　hundred　feet　under　the　ice。〃　Herney　smiled　now　for　the　first　time；　finding　his　stride。　〃On　receiving　the　data；　NASA　immediately　suspected　PODS　had　found　a　meteorite。〃
　〃A　meteorite？〃　Sexton　sputtered；　standing。　〃This　is　news？〃
　〃NASA　sent　a　team　up　to　the　ice　shelf　to　take　core　samples。　It　was　then　that　NASA　made。。。　〃　He　paused。
　〃Frankly；　they　made　the　scientific　discovery　of　the　century。〃
　Sexton　took　an　incredulous　step　toward　the　television。　No。。。。　His　guests　shifted　uneasily。
　〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；〃　Herney　announced；　〃several　hours　ago；　NASA　pulled　from　the　Arctic　ice　an　eight…ton　meteorite；　which　contains。。。　〃　The　President　paused　again；　giving　the　whole　world　time　to　lean　forward。　〃A　meteorite　which　contains　fossils　of　a　life…form。　Dozens　of　them。　Unequivocal　proof　of　extraterrestrial　life。〃
　On　cue；　a　brilliant　image　illuminated　on　the　screen　behind　the　President…a　perfectly　delineated　fossil　of　an　enormous　buglike　creature　embedded　in　a　charred　rock。
　In　Sexton's　den；　six　entrepreneurs　jumped　up　in　wide…eyed　horror。　Sexton　stood　frozen　in　place。
　〃My　friends；〃　the　President　said；　〃the　fossil　behind　me　is　190　million　years　old。　It　was　discovered　in　a　fragment　of　a　meteorite　called　the　Jungersol　Fall　which　hit　the　Arctic　Ocean　almost　three　centuries　ago。　NASA's　exciting　new　PODS　satellite　discovered　this　meteorite　fragment　buried　in　an　ice　shelf。　NASA　and　this　administration　have　taken　enormous　care　over　the　past　two　weeks　to　confirm　every　aspect　of　this　momentous　discovery　before　making　it　public。　In　the　next　half　hour　you　will　be　hearing　from　numerous　NASA　and　civilian　scientists；　as　well　as　viewing　a　short　documentary　prepared　by　a　familiar　face　whom　I'm　sure　you　all　will　recognize。　Before　I　go　any　further；　though；　I　absolutely　must　wele；　live　via　satellite　from　above　the　Arctic　Circle；　the　man　whose　leadership；　vision；　and　hard　work　is　solely　responsible　for　this　historic　moment。　It　is　with　great　honor　that　I　present　NASA　administrator　Lawrence　Ekstrom。〃
　Herney　turned　to　the　screen　on　perfect　cue。
　The　image　of　the　meteorite　dramatically　dissolved　into　a　regal…looking　panel　of　NASA　scientists　seated　at　a　long　table；　flanked　by　the　dominant　frame　of　Lawrence　Ekstrom。
　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　President。〃　Ekstrom's　air　was　stern　and　proud　as　he　stood　up　and　looked　directly　into　the　camera。　〃It　gives　me　great　pride　to　share　with　all　of　you；　this…NASA's　finest　hour。〃
　Ekstrom　spoke　passionately　about　NASA　and　the　discovery。　With　a　fanfare　of　patriotism　and　triumph；　he　segued　flawlessly　to　a　documentary　hosted　by　civilian　science…celebrity　Michael　Tolland。
　As　he　watched；　Senator　Sexton　fell　to　his　knees　in　front　of　the　television；　his　fingers　clutching　at　his　silver　mane。　No！　God；　no！
　
　　
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　Marjorie　Tench　was　livid　as　she　broke　away　from　the　jovial　chaos　outside　the　Briefing　Room　and　marched　back　to　her　private　corner　in　the　West　Wing。　She　was　in　no　mood　for　celebration。　The　phone　call　from　Rachel　Sexton　had　been　most　unexpected。
　Most　disappointing。
　Tench　slammed　her　office　door；　stalked　to　her　desk；　and　dialed　the　White　House　operator。　〃William　Pickering。　NRO。〃
　Tench　lit　a　cigarette　and　paced　the　room　as　she　waited　for　the　operator　to　track　down　Pickering。　Normally；　he　might　have　gone　home　for　the　night；　but　with　the　White　House's　big　windup　into　tonight's　press　conference；　Tench　guessed　Pickering　had　been　in　his　office　all　evening；　glued　to　his　television　screen；　wondering　what　could　possibly　be　going　on　in　the　world　about　which　the　NRO　director　did　not　have　prior　knowledge。
　Tench　cursed　herself　for　not　trusting　her　instincts　when　the　President　said　he　wanted　to　send　Rachel　Sexton　to　Milne。　Tench　had　been　wary；　feeling　it　was　an　unnecessary　risk。　But　the　President　had　been　convincing；　persuading　Tench　that　the　White　House　staff　had　grown　cynical　over　the　past　weeks　and　would　be　suspect　of　the　NASA　discovery　if　the　news　came　from　in…house。　As　Herney　had　promised；　Rachel　Sexton's　endorsement　had　squelched　suspicions；　prevented　any　skeptical　in…house　debate；　and　forced　the　White　House　staff　to　move　forward　with　a　unified　front。　Invaluable；　Tench　had　to　admit。　And　yet　now　Rachel　Sexton　had　changed　her　tune。
　The　bitch　called　me　on　an　unsecured　line。
　Rachel　Sexton　was　obviously　intent　on　destroying　the　credibility　of　this　discovery；　and　Tench's　only　solace　was　knowing　the　President　had　captured　Rachel's　earlier　briefing　on　videotape。　Thank　God。　At　least　Herney　had　thought　to　obtain　that　small　insurance。　Tench　was　starting　to　fear　they　were　going　to　need　it。
　At　the　moment；　however；　Tench　was　trying　to　stem　the　bleeding　in　other　ways。　Rachel　Sexton　was　a　smart　woman；　and　if　she　truly　intended　to　go　head…to…head　with　the　White　House　and　NASA；　she　would　need　to　recruit　some　powerful　allies。　Her　first　logical　choice　would　be　William　Pickering。　Tench　already　knew　how　Pickering　felt　about　NASA。　She　needed　to　get　to　Pickering　before　Rachel　did。
　〃Ms。　Tench？〃　the　transparent　voice　on　the　line　said。　〃William　Pickering；　here。　To　what　do　I　owe　this　honor？〃
　Tench　could　hear　the　television　in　the　background…NASA　mentary。　She　could　already　sense　in　his　tone　that　he　was　still　reeling　from　the　press　conference。　〃Do　you　have　a　minute；　director？〃
　〃I　expected　you'd