danbrown.deceptionpoint-第69部分

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the　list　and　chose　an　option　that　read：　DESTRUCTIVE　MARGINS/OCEANIC　TRENCHES。
　Smart；　Rachel　realized。　Tolland　was　limiting　his　search　only　to　species　that　lived　near　the　environment　where　these　chondrulelike　features　were　hypothesized　to　form。
　The　page　refreshed。　This　time　Tolland　smiled。　〃Great。　Only　three　entries。〃
　Rachel　squinted　at　the　first　name　on　the　list。　Limulus　poly。。。　something。
　Tolland　clicked　the　entry。　A　photo　appeared；　the　creature　looked　like　an　oversized　horseshoe　crab　without　a　tail。
　〃Nope；〃　Tolland　said；　returning　to　the　previous　page。
　Rachel　eyed　the　second　item　on　the　list。　Shrimpus　Uglius　From　Hellus。　She　was　confused。　〃Is　that　name　for　real？〃
　Tolland　chuckled。　〃No。　It's　a　new　species　not　yet　classified。　The　guy　who　discovered　it　has　a　sense　of　humor。　He's　suggesting　Shrimpus　Uglius　as　the　official　taxonomical　classification。〃　Tolland　clicked　open　the　photo；　revealing　an　exceptionally　ugly　shrimplike　creature　with　whiskers　and　fluorescent　pink　antennae。
　〃Aptly　named；〃　Tolland　said。　〃But　not　our　space　bug。〃　He　returned　to　the　index。　〃The　final　offering　is。。。　〃　He　clicked　on　the　third　entry；　and　the　page　came　up。
　〃Bathynomous　giganteus。。。　〃　Tolland　read　aloud　as　the　text　appeared。　The　photograph　loaded。　A　full…color　close…up。
　Rachel　jumped。　〃My　God！〃　The　creature　staring　back　at　her　gave　her　chills。
　Tolland　drew　a　low　breath。　〃Oh　boy。　This　guy　looks　kind　of　familiar。〃
　Rachel　nodded；　speechless。　Bathynomous　giganteus。　The　creature　resembled　a　giant　swimming　louse。　It　looked　very　similar　to　the　fossil　species　in　the　NASA　rock。
　〃There　are　some　subtle　differences；〃　Tolland　said；　scrolling　down　to　some　anatomical　diagrams　and　sketches。　〃But　it's　damn　close。　Especially　considering　it　has　had　190　million　years　to　evolve。〃
　Close　is　right；　Rachel　thought。　Too　close。
　Tolland　read　the　description　on　the　screen：　〃'Thought　to　be　one　of　the　oldest　species　in　the　ocean；　the　rare　and　recently　classified　species　Bathynomous　giganteus　is　a　deepwater　scavenging　isopod　resembling　a　large　pill　bug。　Up　to　two　feet　in　length；　this　species　exhibits　a　chitinous　exoskeleton　segmented　into　head；　thorax；　abdomen。　It　possesses　paired　appendages；　antennae；　and　pound　eyes　like　those　of　land…dwelling　insects。　This　bottom…dwelling　forager　has　no　known　predators　and　lives　in　barren　pelagic　environments　previously　thought　to　be　uninhabitable。〃　Tolland　glanced　up。　〃Which　could　explain　the　lack　of　other　fossils　in　the　sample！〃
　Rachel　stared　at　the　creature　on…screen；　excited　and　yet　uncertain　she　pletely　understood　what　all　of　this　meant。
　〃Imagine；〃　Tolland　said　excitedly；　〃that　190　million　years　ago；　a　brood　of　these　Bathynomous　creatures　got　buried　in　a　deep　ocean　mud　slide。　As　the　mud　turns　into　rock；　the　bugs　get　fossilized　in　stone。　Simultaneously；　the　ocean　floor；　which　is　continuously　moving　like　a　slow　conveyer　belt　toward　the　oceanic　trenches；　carries　the　fossils　into　a　high…pressure　zone　where　the　rock　forms　chondrules！〃　Tolland　was　talking　faster　now。　〃And　if　part　of　the　fossilized；　chondrulized　crust　broke　off　and　ended　up　on　the　trench's　accretionary　wedge；　which　is　not　at　all　unmon；　it　would　be　in　a　perfect　position　to　be　discovered！〃
　〃But　if　NASA。。。　；〃　Rachel　stammered。　〃I　mean；　if　this　is　all　a　lie；　NASA　must　have　known　that　sooner　or　later　someone　would　find　out　this　fossil　resembles　a　sea　creature；　right？　I　mean　we　just　found　out！〃
　Tolland　began　printing　the　Bathynomous　photos　on　a　laser　printer。　〃I　don't　know。　Even　if　someone　stepped　forward　and　pointed　out　the　similarities　between　the　fossils　and　a　living　sea　louse；　their　physiologies　are　not　identical。　It　almost　proves　NASA's　case　more　strongly。〃
　Rachel　suddenly　understood。　〃Panspermia。〃　Life　on　earth　was　seeded　from　space。
　〃Exactly。　Similarities　between　space　organisms　and　earth　organisms　make　excellent　scientific　sense。　This　sea　louse　actually　strengthens　NASA's　case。〃
　〃Except　if　the　meteorite's　authenticity　is　in　question。〃
　Tolland　nodded。　〃Once　the　meteorite　es　into　question；　then　everything　collapses。　Our　sea　louse　turns　from　NASA　friend　to　NASA　linchpin。〃
　Rachel　stood　in　silence　as　the　Bathynomous　pages　rolled　out　of　the　printer。　She　tried　to　tell　herself　this　was　all　an　honest　NASA　mistake；　but　she　knew　it　was　not。　People　who　made　honest　mistakes　didn't　try　to　kill　people。
　The　nasal　voice　of　Corky　echoed　suddenly　across　the　lab。　〃Impossible！〃
　Both　Tolland　and　Rachel　turned。
　〃Measure　the　damn　ratio　again！　It　makes　no　sense！〃
　Xavia　came　hurrying　in　with　a　puter　printout　clutched　in　her　hand。　Her　face　was　ashen。　〃Mike；　I　don't　know　how　to　say　this。。。　〃　Her　voice　cracked。　〃The　titanium/zirconium　ratios　we're　seeing　in　this　sample？〃　She　cleared　her　throat。　〃It's　pretty　obvious　that　NASA　made　a　huge　mistake。　Their　meteorite　is　an　ocean　rock。〃
　Tolland　and　Rachel　looked　at　each　other　but　neither　spoke　a　word。　They　knew。　Just　like　that；　all　the　suspicions　and　doubts　had　swelled　up　like　the　crest　of　a　wave；　reaching　the　breaking　point。
　Tolland　nodded；　a　sadness　in　his　eyes。　〃Yeah。　Thanks；　Xavia。〃
　〃But　I　don't　understand；〃　Xavia　said。　〃The　fusion　crust。。。　the　location　in　the　ice…〃
　〃We'll　explain　on　the　way　to　shore；〃　Tolland　said。　〃We're　leaving。〃
　Quickly；　Rachel　collected　all　the　papers　and　evidence　they　now　had。　The　evidence　was　shockingly　conclusive：　the　GPR　printout　showing　the　insertion　shaft　in　the　Milne　Ice　Shelf；　photos　of　a　living　sea　louse　resembling　NASA's　fossil；　Dr。　Pollock's　article　on　ocean　chondrules；　and　microprobe　data　showing　ultradepleted　zirconium　in　the　meteorite。
　The　conclusion　was　undeniable。　Fraud。
　Tolland　looked　at　the　stack　of　papers　in　Rachel's　hands　and　heaved　a　melancholy　sigh。　〃Well；　I'd　say　William　Pickering　has　his　proof。〃
　Rachel　nodded；　again　wondering　why　Pickering　had　not　answered　his　phone。
　Tolland　lifted　the　receiver　of　a　nearby　phone；　holding　it　out　for　her。　〃You　want　to　try　him　again　from　here？〃
　〃No；　let's　get　moving。　I'll　try　to　contact　him　from　the　chopper。〃　Rachel　had　already　decided　if　she　could　not　make　contact　with　Pickering；　she'd　have　the　Coast　Guard　fly　them　directly　to　the　NRO；　only　about　180　miles。
　Tolland　began　to　hang　up　the　phone；　but　he　paused。　Looking　confused；　he　listened　to　the　receiver；　frowning。　〃Bizarre。　No　dial　tone。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　Rachel　said；　wary　now。
　〃Weird；〃　Tolland　said。　〃Direct　SAT　lines　never　lose　carrier…〃
　〃Mr。　Tolland？〃　The　Coast　Guard　pilot　came　rushing　into　the　lab；　his　face　white。
　〃What　is　it？〃　Rachel　demanded。　〃Is　someone　ing？〃
　〃That's　the　problem；〃　the　pilot　said。　〃I　don't　know。　All　onboard　radar　and　munications　have　just　gone　dead。〃
　Rachel　stuffed　the　papers　deep　inside　her　shirt。　〃Get　in　the　helicopter。　We're　leaving。　NOW！〃
　
　　
　109
　Gabrielle's　heart　was　racing　as　she　crossed　the　darkened　office　of　Senator　Sexton。　The　room　was　as　expansive　as　it　was　elegant…ornate　wood…paneled　walls；　oil　paintings；　Persian　carpets；　leather　rivet　chairs；　and　a　gargantuan　mahogany　desk。　The　room　was　lit　only　by　the　eerie　neon　glow　of　Sexton's　puter　screen。
　Gabrielle　moved　toward　his　desk。
　Senator　Sexton　had　embraced　the　〃digital　office〃　to　maniacal　proportions；　eschewing　the　overflow　of　file　cabinets　for　the　pact；　searchable　simplicity　of　his　personal　puter；　into　which　he　fed　enormous　amounts　of　information…digitized　meeting　notes；　scanned　articles；　speeches；　brainstorms。　Sexton's　puter　was　his　sacred　ground；　and　he　kept　his　office　locked　at　all　times　to　protect　it。　He　even　refused　to　connect　to　the　Internet　for　fear　of　hackers　infiltrating　his　sacred　digital　vault。
　A　year　ago　Gabrielle　would　never　have　believed　any　politician　would　be　stupid　enough　to　store　copies　of　self…incriminating　documents；　but　Washington　had　taught　her　a　lot。　Information　is　power。　Gabrielle　had　been　amazed　to　learn　that　a　mon　practice　among　politicians　who　accepted　questionable　campaign　contributions　was　to　keep　actual　proof　of　those　donations…letters；　bank　records；　receipts；　logs…all　hidden　away　in　a　safe　place。　This　counterblackmail　tactic；　euphemistically　known　in　Washington　as　〃Siamese　insurance；〃　protected　candidates　from　donors　who　felt　their　generosity　somehow　authorized　them　to　assert　undue　political　pressure　on　a　candidate。　If　a　contributor　got　too　demanding；　the　candidate　could　simply　produce　evidence　of　the　illegal　donation　and　remind　the　donor　that　both　parties　had　broken　the　law。　The　evidence　ensured　that　candidates　and　donors　were　joined　at　the　hip　forever…like　Siamese　twins。
　Gabrielle　slipped　behind　the　senator's　desk　and　sat　down。　She　took　a　deep　breath；　looking　at　his　puter。　If　the　senator　is　accepting　SFF　bribes；　any　evidence　would　be　in　here。
　Sexton's　puter　screensaver　was　an　ongoing　slideshow　of　the　White　House　and　its　grounds　created　for　him　by　one　of　his　gung…ho　staffers　who　was　big　into　visualization　and　positive　thinking。　Around　the　images　crawled　a　ticker…tape　banner　that　read：　President　of　the　United　States　Sedgewick　Sexton。。。　President　of　the　United　States　Sedgewick　Sexton。。。　President　of　the。。。　
　Gabrielle　jostled　the　mouse；　and　a　security　dialogue　box　came　up。
　ENTER　PASSWORD：
　She　expected　this。　It　would　not　be　a　problem。　Last　week；　Gabrielle　had　entered　Sexton's　office　just　as　the　senator　was　sitting　down　and　logging　onto　his　puter。　She　saw　him　type　three　short　keystrokes　in　rapid　succession。
　〃That's　a　password？〃　she　challenged　from　the　doorway　as　she　walked　in。
　Sexton　glanced　up。　〃What？〃
　〃And　here　I　thought　you　were　concerned　about　security；〃　Gabrielle　scolded　good…naturedly。　〃Your　password's　only　three　keys？　I　thought　the　tech　guys　told　us　all　to　use　at　least　six。〃
　〃The　tech　guys　are　teenagers。　They　should　try　remembering　six　random　letters　when　they're　over　forty。　Besides；　the　door　has　an　alarm。　Nobody　can　get　in。〃
　Gabrielle　walked　toward　him；　smiling。　〃What　if　someone　slipped　in　while　you're　in　the　loo？〃
　〃And　tried　every　bination　of　passwords？〃　He　gave　a　skeptical　laugh。　〃I'm　slow　in　the　bathroom；　but　not　that　slow。〃
　〃Dinner　at　Davide　says　I　can　guess　your　password　in　ten　seconds。〃
　Sexton　looked　intrigued　and　amused。　〃You　can't　afford　Davide；　Gabrielle。〃
　〃So　you're　saying　you're　chicken？〃
　Sexton　appeared　almost　sorry　for　her　a