danbrown.deceptionpoint-第66部分

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topped。　Now　she　could　hear　a　series　of　rapidly　oscillating　tones　that　pulsed　in　half…second　intervals。　Rachel's　confusion　quickly　gave　way　to　realization。　And　then　fear。
　〃Shit！〃
　Wheeling　back　to　the　controls　on　the　bridge；　she　slammed　the　receiver　down　in　its　cradle；　severing　the　connection。　For　several　moments　she　stood　terrified；　wondering　if　she'd　hung　up　in　time。
　　
　Amidships；　two　decks　below；　the　Goya's　hydrolab　was　an　expansive　work　space　segmented　by　long　counters　and　islands　packed　to　the　gills　with　electronic　gear…bottom　profilers；　current　analyzers；　wet　sinks；　fume　hoods；　a　walk…in　specimen　cooler；　PCs；　and　a　stack　of　organizer　crates　for　research　data　and　the　spare　electronics　to　keep　everything　running。
　When　Tolland　and　Corky　entered；　the　Goya's　onboard　geologist；　Xavia；　was　reclining　in　front　of　a　blaring　television。　She　didn't　even　turn　around。
　〃Did　you　guys　run　out　of　beer　money？〃　she　called　over　her　shoulder；　apparently　thinking　some　of　her　crew　had　returned。
　〃Xavia；〃　Tolland　said。　〃It's　Mike。〃
　The　geologist　spun；　swallowing　part　of　a　prepackaged　sandwich　she　was　eating。　〃Mike？〃　she　stammered；　clearly　stunned　to　see　him。　She　stood　up；　turned　down　the　television；　and　came　over；　still　chewing。　〃I　thought　some　of　the　guys　had　e　back　from　bar…hopping。　What　are　you　doing　here？〃　Xavia　was　heavyset　and　dark…skinned；　with　a　sharp　voice　and　a　surly　air　about　her。　She　motioned　to　the　television；　which　was　broadcasting　replays　of　Tolland's　on…site　meteorite　documentary。　〃You　sure　didn't　hang　around　on　the　ice　shelf　very　long；　did　you？〃
　Something　came　up；　Tolland　thought。　〃Xavia；　I'm　sure　you　recognize　Corky　Marlinson。〃
　Xavia　nodded。　〃An　honor；　sir。〃
　Corky　was　eyeing　the　sandwich　in　her　hand。　〃That　looks　good。〃
　Xavia　gave　him　an　odd　look。
　〃I　got　your　message；〃　Tolland　said　to　Xavia。　〃You　said　I　made　a　mistake　in　my　presentation？　I　want　to　talk　to　you　about　it。〃
　The　geologist　stared　at　him　and　let　out　a　shrill　laugh。　〃That's　why　you're　back？　Oh；　Mike；　for　God's　sake；　I　told　you；　it　was　nothing。　I　was　just　pulling　your　chain。　NASA　obviously　gave　you　some　old　data。　Inconsequential。　Seriously；　only　three　or　four　marine　geologists　in　the　world　might　have　noticed　the　oversight！〃
　Tolland　held　his　breath。　〃This　oversight。　Does　it　by　any　chance　have　anything　to　do　with　chondrules？〃
　Xavia's　face　went　blank　with　shock。　〃My　God。　One　of　those　geologists　called　you　already？〃
　Tolland　slumped。　The　chondrules。　He　looked　at　Corky　and　then　back　to　the　marine　geologist。　〃Xavia；　I　need　to　know　everything　you　can　tell　me　about　these　chondrules。　What　was　the　mistake　I　made？〃
　Xavia　stared　at　him；　apparently　now　sensing　he　was　dead　serious。　〃Mike；　it's　really　nothing。　I　read　a　small　article　in　a　trade　journal　a　while　back。　But　I　don't　understand　why　you're　so　worried　about　this。〃
　Tolland　sighed。　〃Xavia；　as　strange　as　this　may　sound；　the　less　you　know　tonight；　the　better。　All　I'm　asking　is　for　you　to　tell　us　what　you　know　about　chondrules；　and　then　we'll　need　you　to　examine　a　rock　sample　for　us。〃
　Xavia　looked　mystified　and　vaguely　perturbed　to　be　out　of　the　loop。　〃Fine；　let　me　get　you　that　article。　It's　in　my　office。〃　She　set　her　sandwich　down　and　headed　for　the　door。
　Corky　called　after　her。　〃Can　I　finish　that？〃
　Xavia　paused；　sounding　incredulous。　〃You　want　to　finish　my　sandwich？〃
　〃Well；　I　just　thought　if　you…〃
　〃Get　your　own　damn　sandwich。〃　Xavia　left。
　Tolland　chuckled；　motioning　across　the　lab　toward　a　specimen　cooler。　〃Bottom　shelf；　Corky。　Between　the　sambuca　and　squid　sacs。〃
　Outside　on　deck；　Rachel　descended　the　steep　stairway　from　the　bridge　and　strode　toward　the　chopper　pad。　The　Coast　Guard　pilot　was　dozing　but　sat　up　when　Rachel　rapped　on　the　cockpit。
　〃Done　already？〃　he　asked。　〃That　was　fast。〃
　Rachel　shook　her　head；　on　edge。　〃Can　you　run　both　surface　and　air　radar？〃
　〃Sure。　Ten…mile　radius。〃
　〃Turn　it　on；　please。〃
　Looking　puzzled；　the　pilot　threw　a　couple　of　switches　and　the　radar　screen　lit　up。　The　sweep　arm　spun　lazy　circles。
　〃Anything？〃　Rachel　asked。
　The　pilot　let　the　arm　make　several　plete　rotations。　He　adjusted　some　controls　and　watched。　It　was　all　clear。　〃Couple　of　small　ships　way　out　on　the　periphery；　but　they're　heading　away　from　us。　We're　clear。　Miles　and　miles　of　open　sea　in　all　directions。〃
　Rachel　Sexton　sighed；　although　she　did　not　feel　particularly　relieved。　〃Do　me　a　favor；　if　you　see　anything　approaching…boats；　aircraft；　anything…will　you　let　me　know　immediately？〃
　〃Sure　thing。　Is　everything　okay？〃
　〃Yeah。　I'd　just　like　to　know　if　we're　having　pany。〃
　The　pilot　shrugged。　〃I'll　watch　the　radar；　ma'am。　If　anything　blips；　you'll　be　the　first　to　know。〃
　Rachel's　senses　were　tingling　as　she　headed　for　the　hydrolab。　When　she　entered；　Corky　and　Tolland　were　standing　alone　in　front　of　a　puter　monitor　and　chewing　sandwiches。
　Corky　called　out　to　her　with　his　mouth　full。　〃What'll　it　be？　Fishy　chicken；　fishy　bologna；　or　fishy　egg　salad？〃
　Rachel　barely　heard　the　question。　〃Mike；　how　fast　can　we　get　this　information　and　get　off　this　ship？〃
　
　　
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　Tolland　paced　the　hydrolab；　waiting　with　Rachel　and　Corky　for　Xavia's　return。　The　news　about　the　chondrules　was　almost　as　disforting　as　Rachel's　news　about　her　attempted　contact　with　Pickering。
　The　director　didn't　answer。
　And　someone　tried　to　pulse…snitch　the　Goya's　location。
　〃Relax；〃　Tolland　told　everyone。　〃We're　safe。　The　Coast　Guard　pilot　is　watching　the　radar。　He　can　give　us　plenty　of　warning　if　anyone　is　headed　our　way。〃
　Rachel　nodded　in　agreement；　although　she　still　looked　on　edge。
　〃Mike；　what　the　hell　is　this？〃　Corky　asked；　pointing　at　a　Sparc　puter　monitor；　which　displayed　an　ominous　psychedelic　image　that　was　pulsating　and　churning　as　though　alive。
　〃Acoustic　Doppler　Current　Profiler；〃　Tolland　said。　〃It's　a　cross　section　of　the　currents　and　temperature　gradients　of　the　ocean　underneath　the　ship。〃
　Rachel　stared。　〃That's　what　we're　anchored　on　top　of？〃
　Tolland　had　to　admit；　the　image　looked　frightening。　At　the　surface；　the　water　appeared　as　a　swirling　bluish　green；　but　tracing　downward；　the　colors　slowly　shifted　to　a　menacing　red…orange　as　the　temperatures　heated　up。　Near　the　bottom；　over　a　mile　down；　hovering　above　the　ocean　floor；　a　blood…red；　cyclone　vortex　raged。
　〃That's　the　megaplume；〃　Tolland　said。
　Corky　grunted。　〃Looks　like　an　underwater　tornado。〃
　〃Same　principle。　Oceans　are　usually　colder　and　more　dense　near　the　bottom；　but　here　the　dynamics　are　reversed。　The　deepwater　is　heated　and　lighter；　so　it　rises　toward　the　surface。　Meanwhile；　the　surface　water　is　heavier；　so　it　races　downward　in　a　huge　spiral　to　fill　the　void。　You　get　these　drainlike　currents　in　the　ocean。　Enormous　whirlpools。〃
　〃What's　that　big　bump　on　the　seafloor？〃　Corky　pointed　at　the　flat　expanse　of　ocean　floor；　where　a　large　dome…shaped　mound　rose　up　like　a　bubble。　Directly　above　it　swirled　the　vortex。
　〃That　mound　is　a　magma　dome；〃　Tolland　said。　〃It's　where　lava　is　pushing　up　beneath　the　ocean　floor。〃
　Corky　nodded。　〃Like　a　huge　zit。〃
　〃In　a　manner　of　speaking。〃
　〃And　if　it　pops？〃
　Tolland　frowned；　recalling　the　famous　1986　megaplume　event　off　the　Juan　de　Fuca　Ridge；　where　thousands　of　tons　of　twelve　hundred　degrees　Celsius　magma　spewed　up　into　the　ocean　all　at　once；　magnifying　the　plume's　intensity　almost　instantly。　Surface　currents　amplified　as　the　vortex　expanded　rapidly　upward。　What　happened　next　was　something　Tolland　had　no　intention　of　sharing　with　Corky　and　Rachel　this　evening。
　〃Atlantic　magma　domes　don't　pop；〃　Tolland　said。　〃The　cold　water　circulating　over　the　mound　continually　cools　and　hardens　the　earth's　crust；　keeping　the　magma　safely　under　a　thick　layer　of　rock。　Eventually　the　lava　underneath　cools；　and　the　spiral　disappears。　Megaplumes　are　generally　not　dangerous。〃
　Corky　pointed　toward　a　tattered　magazine　sitting　near　the　puter。　〃So　you're　saying　Scientific　American　publishes　fiction？〃
　Tolland　saw　the　cover；　and　winced。　Someone　had　apparently　pulled　it　from　the　Goya's　archive　of　old　science　magazines：　Scientific　American；　February　1999。　The　cover　showed　an　artist's　rendering　of　a　supertanker　swirling　out　of　control　in　an　enormous　funnel　of　ocean。　The　heading　read：　MEGAPLUMES…GIANT　KILLERS　FROM　THE　DEEP？
　Tolland　laughed　it　off。　〃Totally　irrelevant。　That　article　is　talking　about　megaplumes　in　earthquake　zones。　It　was　a　popular　Bermuda　Triangle　hypothesis　a　few　years　back；　explaining　ship　disappearances。　Technically　speaking；　if　there's　some　sort　of　cataclysmic　geologic　event　on　the　ocean　floor；　which　is　unheard　of　around　here；　the　dome　could　rupture；　and　the　vortex　could　get　big　enough　to。。。　well；　you　know。。。　〃
　〃No；　we　don't　know；〃　Corky　said。
　Tolland　shrugged。　〃Rise　to　the　surface。〃
　〃Terrific。　So　glad　you　had　us　aboard。〃
　Xavia　entered　carrying　some　papers。　〃Admiring　the　megaplume？〃
　〃Oh；　yes；〃　Corky　said　sarcastically。　〃Mike　was　just　telling　us　how　if　that　little　mound　ruptures；　we　all　go　spiraling　around　in　a　big　drain。〃
　〃Drain？〃　Xavia　gave　a　cold　laugh。　〃More　like　getting　flushed　down　the　world's　largest　toilet。〃
　　
　Outside　on　the　deck　of　the　Goya；　the　Coast　Guard　helicopter　pilot　vigilantly　watched　the　EMS　radar　screen。　As　a　rescue　pilot　he　had　seen　his　share　of　fear　in　people's　eyes；　Rachel　Sexton　had　definitely　been　afraid　when　she　asked　him　to　keep　an　eye　out　for　unexpected　visitors　to　the　Goya。
　What　kind　of　visitors　is　she　expecting？　he　wondered。
　From　all　the　pilot　could　see；　the　sea　and　air　for　ten　miles　in　all　directions　contained　nothing　that　looked　out　of　the　ordinary。　A　fishing　boat　eight　miles　off。　An　occasional　aircraft　slicing　across　an　edge　of　their　radar　field　and　then　disappearing　again　toward　some　unknown　destination。
　The　pilot　sighed；　gazing　out　now　at　the　ocean　rushing　all　around　the　ship。　The　sensation　was　a　ghostly　one…that　of　sailing　full　speed　despite　being　anchored。
　He　returned　his　eyes　to　the　radar　screen　and　watched。　Vigilant。
　
　　
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　Onboard　the　Goya；　Tolland　had　now　introduced　Xavia　and　Rachel。　The　ship's　geologist　was　looking　increasingly　baffled　by　the　distinguished　entourage　standing　before　her　in　the　hydrolab。　In　addition；　Rachel's　eagerness　to　run　the　tests　and　get　of