danbrown.deceptionpoint-第67部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


age　standing　before　her　in　the　hydrolab。　In　addition；　Rachel's　eagerness　to　run　the　tests　and　get　off　the　ship　as　fast　as　possible　was　clearly　making　Xavia　uneasy。
　Take　your　time；　Xavia；　Tolland　willed　her。　We　need　to　know　everything。
　Xavia　was　talking　now；　her　voice　stiff。　〃In　your　documentary；　Mike；　you　said　those　little　metallic　inclusions　in　the　rock　could　form　only　in　space。〃
　Tolland　already　felt　a　tremor　of　apprehension。　Chondrules　form　only　in　space。　That's　what　NASA　told　me。
　〃But　according　to　these　notes；〃　Xavia　said；　holding　up　the　pages；　〃that's　not　entirely　true。〃
　Corky　glared。　〃Of　course　it's　true！〃
　Xavia　scowled　at　Corky　and　waved　the　notes。　〃Last　year　a　young　geologist　named　Lee　Pollock　out　of　Drew　University　was　using　a　new　breed　of　marine　robot　to　do　Pacific　deepwater　crust　sampling　in　the　Mariana　Trench　and　pulled　up　a　loose　rock　that　contained　a　geologic　feature　he　had　never　seen　before。　The　feature　was　quite　similar　in　appearance　to　chondrules。　He　called　them　'plagioclase　stress　inclusions'…tiny　bubbles　of　metal　that　apparently　had　been　rehomogenized　during　deep　ocean　pressurization　events。　Dr。　Pollock　was　amazed　to　find　metallic　bubbles　in　an　ocean　rock；　and　he　formulated　a　unique　theory　to　explain　their　presence。〃
　Corky　grumbled。　〃I　suppose　he　would　have　to。〃
　Xavia　ignored　him。　〃Dr。　Pollock　asserted　that　the　rock　formed　in　an　ultradeep　oceanic　environment　where　extreme　pressure　metamorphosed　a　pre…existing　rock；　permitting　some　of　the　disparate　metals　to　fuse。〃
　Tolland　considered　it。　The　Mariana　Trench　was　seven　miles　down；　one　of　the　last　truly　unexplored　regions　on　the　planet。　Only　a　handful　of　robotic　probes　had　ever　ventured　that　deep；　and　most　had　collapsed　well　before　they　reached　the　bottom。　The　water　pressure　in　the　trench　was　enormous…an　astounding　eighteen　thousand　pounds　per　square　inch；　as　opposed　to　a　mere　twenty…four　pounds　on　the　ocean's　surface。　Oceanographers　still　had　very　little　understanding　of　the　geologic　forces　at　the　deepest　ocean　floor。　〃So；　this　guy　Pollock　thinks　the　Mariana　Trench　can　make　rocks　with　chondrulelike　features？〃
　〃It's　an　extremely　obscure　theory；〃　Xavia　said。　〃In　fact；　it's　never　even　been　formally　published。　I　only　happened　to　stumble　across　Pollock's　personal　notes　on　the　Web　by　chance　last　month　when　I　was　doing　research　on　fluid…rock　interactions　for　our　uping　megaplume　show。　Otherwise；　I　never　would　have　heard　of　it。〃
　〃The　theory　has　never　been　published；〃　Corky　said；　〃because　it's　ridiculous。　You　need　heat　to　form　chondrules。　There's　no　way　water　pressure　could　rearrange　the　crystalline　structure　of　a　rock。〃
　〃Pressure；〃　Xavia　fired　back；　〃happens　to　be　the　single　biggest　contributor　to　geologic　change　on　our　planet。　A　little　something　called　a　metamorphic　rock？　Geology　101？〃
　Corky　scowled。
　Tolland　realized　Xavia　had　a　point。　Although　heat　did　play　a　role　in　some　of　earth's　metamorphic　geology；　most　metamorphic　rocks　were　formed　by　extreme　pressure。　Incredibly；　rocks　deep　in　the　earth's　crust　were　under　so　much　pressure　that　they　acted　more　like　thick　molasses　than　solid　rock；　being　elastic　and　undergoing　chemical　changes　as　they　did。　Nonetheless；　Dr。　Pollock's　theory　still　seemed　like　a　stretch。
　〃Xavia；〃　Tolland　said。　〃I've　never　heard　of　water　pressure　alone　chemically　altering　a　rock。　You're　the　geologist；　what's　your　take？〃
　〃Well；〃　she　said；　flipping　through　her　notes；　〃it　sounds　like　water　pressure　isn't　the　only　factor。〃　Xavia　found　a　passage　and　read　Pollock's　notes　verbatim。　〃'Oceanic　crust　in　the　Mariana　Trench；　already　under　enormous　hydrostatic　pressurization；　can　find　itself　further　pressed　by　tectonic　forces　from　the　region's　subduction　zones。'〃
　Of　course；　Tolland　thought。　The　Mariana　Trench；　in　addition　to　being　crushed　under　seven　miles　of　water；　was　a　subduction　zone…the　pression　line　where　the　Pacific　and　Indian　plates　moved　toward　one　another　and　collided。　bined　pressures　in　the　trench　could　be　enormous；　and　because　the　area　was　so　remote　and　dangerous　to　study；　if　there　were　chondrules　down　there；　chances　of　anyone　knowing　about　it　were　very　slim。
　Xavia　kept　reading。　〃'bined　hydrostatic　and　tectonic　pressures　could　potentially　force　crust　into　an　elastic　or　semiliquid　state；　allowing　lighter　elements　to　fuse　into　chondrulelike　structures　thought　to　occur　only　in　space。'〃
　Corky　rolled　his　eyes。　〃Impossible。〃
　Tolland　glanced　at　Corky。　〃Is　there　any　alternative　explanation　for　the　chondrules　in　the　rock　Dr。　Pollock　found？〃
　〃Easy；〃　Corky　said。　〃Pollock　found　an　actual　meteorite。　Meteorites　fall　into　the　ocean　all　the　time。　Pollock　would　not　have　suspected　it　was　a　meteorite　because　the　fusion　crust　would　have　eroded　away　from　years　under　the　water；　making　it　look　like　a　normal　rock。〃　Corky　turned　to　Xavia。　〃I　don't　suppose　Pollock　had　the　brains　to　measure　the　nickel　content；　did　he？〃
　〃Actually；　yes；〃　Xavia　fired　back；　flipping　through　the　notes　again。　〃Pollock　writes：　'I　was　surprised　to　find　the　nickel　content　of　the　specimen　falling　within　a　midrange　value　not　usually　associated　with　terrestrial　rocks。'〃
　Tolland　and　Rachel　exchanged　startled　looks。
　Xavia　continued　reading。　〃'Although　the　quantity　of　nickel　does　not　fall　within　the　normally　acceptable　midrange　window　for　meteoritic　origin；　it　is　surprisingly　close。'〃
　Rachel　looked　troubled。　〃How　close？　Is　there　any　way　this　ocean　rock　could　be　mistaken　for　a　meteorite？〃
　Xavia　shook　her　head。　〃I'm　not　a　chemical　petrologist；　but　as　I　understand　it；　there　are　numerous　chemical　differences　between　the　rock　Pollock　found　and　actual　meteorites。〃
　〃What　are　those　differences？〃　Tolland　pressed。
　Xavia　turned　her　attention　to　a　graph　in　her　notes。　〃According　to　this；　one　difference　is　in　the　chemical　structure　of　the　chondrules　themselves。　It　looks　like　the　titanium/zirconium　ratios　differ。　The　titanium/　zirconium　ratio　in　the　chondrules　of　the　ocean　sample　showed　ultradepleted　zirconium。〃　She　looked　up。　〃Only　two　parts　per　million。〃
　〃Two　ppm？〃　Corky　blurted。　〃Meteorites　have　thousands　of　times　that！〃
　〃Exactly；〃　Xavia　replied。　〃Which　is　why　Pollock　thinks　his　sample's　chondrules　are　not　from　space。〃
　Tolland　leaned　over　and　whispered　to　Corky；　〃Did　NASA　happen　to　measure　the　titanium/zirconium　ratio　in　the　Milne　rock？〃
　〃Of　course　not；〃　Corky　sputtered。　〃Nobody　would　ever　measure　that。　It's　like　looking　at　a　car　and　measuring　the　tires'　rubber　content　to　confirm　you're　looking　at　a　car！〃
　Tolland　heaved　a　sigh　and　looked　back　at　Xavia。　〃If　we　give　you　a　rock　sample　with　chondrules　in　it；　can　you　run　a　test　to　determine　whether　these　inclusions　are　meteoric　chondrules　or。。。　one　of　Pollock's　deep　ocean　pression　things？〃
　Xavia　shrugged。　〃I　suppose。　The　electron　microprobe's　accuracy　should　be　close　enough。　What's　this　all　about；　anyway？〃
　Tolland　turned　to　Corky。　〃Give　it　to　her。〃
　Corky　reluctantly　pulled　the　meteorite　sample　from　his　pocket　and　held　it　out　for　Xavia。
　Xavia's　brow　furrowed　as　she　took　the　stone　disk。　She　eyed　the　fusion　crust　and　then　the　fossil　embedded　in　the　rock。　〃My　God！〃　she　said；　her　head　rocketing　upward。　〃This　isn't　part　of。。。　？〃
　〃Yeah；〃　Tolland　said。　〃Unfortunately　it　is。〃
　
　　
　106
　Alone　in　her　office；　Gabrielle　Ashe　stood　at　the　window；　wondering　what　to　do　next。　Less　than　an　hour　ago；　she　had　left　NASA　feeling　full　of　excitement　to　share　Chris　Harper's　PODS　fraud　with　the　senator。
　Now；　she　wasn't　so　sure。
　According　to　Yolanda；　two　independent　ABC　reporters　suspected　Sexton　of　taking　SFF　bribes。　Furthermore；　Gabrielle　had　just　learned　that　Sexton　actually　knew　she　had　snuck　into　his　apartment　during　the　SFF　meeting；　and　yet　he　had　said　nothing　to　her　about　it？
　Gabrielle　sighed。　Her　taxi　had　long　since　departed；　and　although　she　would　call　another　in　a　few　minutes；　she　knew　there　was　something　she　had　to　do　first。
　Am　I　really　going　to　try　this？
　Gabrielle　frowned；　knowing　she　didn't　have　a　choice。　She　no　longer　knew　whom　to　trust。
　Stepping　out　of　her　office；　she　made　her　way　back　into　the　secretarial　lobby　and　into　a　wide　hallway　on　the　opposite　side。　At　the　far　end　she　could　see　the　massive　oak　doors　of　Sexton's　office　flanked　by　two　flags…Old　Glory　on　the　right　and　the　Delaware　flag　on　the　left。　His　doors；　like　those　of　most　senate　offices　in　the　building；　were　steel　reinforced　and　secured　by　conventional　keys；　an　electronic　key　pad　entry；　and　an　alarm　system。
　She　knew　if　she　could　get　inside；　even　if　for　only　a　few　minutes；　all　the　answers　would　be　revealed。　Moving　now　toward　the　heavily　secured　doors；　Gabrielle　had　no　illusions　of　getting　through　them。　She　had　other　plans。
　Ten　feet　from　Sexton's　office；　Gabrielle　turned　sharply　to　the　right　and　entered　the　ladies'　room。　The　fluorescents　came　on　automatically；　reflecting　harshly　off　the　white　tile。　As　her　eyes　adjusted；　Gabrielle　paused；　seeing　herself　in　the　mirror。　As　usual；　her　features　looked　softer　than　she'd　hoped。　Delicate　almost。　She　always　felt　stronger　than　she　looked。
　Are　you　sure　you　are　ready　to　do　this？
　Gabrielle　knew　Sexton　was　eagerly　awaiting　her　arrival　for　a　plete　rundown　on　the　PODS　situation。　Unfortunately；　she　also　now　realized　that　Sexton　had　deftly　manipulated　her　tonight。　Gabrielle　Ashe　did　not　like　being　managed。　The　senator　had　kept　things　from　her　tonight。　The　question　was　how　much。　The　answers；　she　knew；　lay　inside　his　office…just　on　the　other　side　of　this　restroom　wall。
　〃Five　minutes；〃　Gabrielle　said　aloud；　mustering　her　resolve。
　Moving　toward　the　bathroom's　supply　closet；　she　reached　up　and　ran　a　hand　over　the　door　frame。　A　key　clattered　to　the　floor。　The　cleaning　crews　at　Philip　A。　Hart　were　federal　employees　and　seemed　to　evaporate　every　time　there　was　a　strike　of　any　sort；　leaving　this　bathroom　without　toilet　paper　and　tampons　for　weeks　at　a　time。　The　women　of　Sexton's　office；　tired　of　being　caught　with　their　pants　down；　had　taken　matters　into　their　own　hands　and　secured　a　supply　room　key　for　〃emergencies。〃
　Tonight　qualifies；　she　thought。
　She　opened　the　closet。
　The　interior　was　cramped；　packed　with　cleansers；　mops；　and　shelves　of　paper　supplies。　A　month　ago；　Gabrielle　had　been　searching　for　paper　towels　when　she'd　made　an　unusual　discovery。　Unable　t