Sphere (深海圆疑) 原版小说-第17章
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〃Umm；〃 Norman said； trying to control his breathing； his racing pulse； 〃I wonder how I get out？〃
The only part of his body still free were his hands。 He moved his fingers； felt a panel of buttons on the arms of the chair。 He pressed one。
The chair slid back； opened like a soft clam； released him。 Norman climbed out； and looked back at the imprint of his body； slowly disappearing as the chair whirred and adjusted itself。
Harry poked one of the leather pads experimentally； heard the gurgle。 〃Water…filled。〃
〃Makes perfect sense；〃 Barnes said。 〃Water's not pressible。 You can withstand enormous G…forces sitting in a chair like this。〃
〃And the ship itself is built to take great strains；〃 Ted said。 〃Maybe time travel is strenuous？ Structurally strenuous？〃
〃Maybe。〃 Norman was doubtful。 〃But I think Barnes is right…this is a machine that flew。〃
〃Perhaps it just looks that way；〃 Ted said。 〃After all； we know how to travel in space； but we don't know how to travel in time。 We know that space and time are really aspects of the same thing； space…time。 Perhaps you're required to fly in time just the way you fly in space。 Maybe time travel and space travel are more similar than we think now。〃
〃Aren't we forgetting something？〃 Beth said。 〃Where is everybody？ If people flew this thing in either time or space； where are they？〃
〃Probably somewhere else on the ship。〃
〃I'm not so sure；〃 Harry said。 〃Look at this leather on these seats。 It's brand…new。〃
〃Maybe it was a new ship。〃
＇＇78＇＇ 〃No； I mean really brand…new。 This leather doesn't show any scratches； any cuts； any coffee…cup spills or stains。 There is nothing to suggest that these seats have ever been sat in。〃 〃Maybe there wasn't any crew。〃
〃Why would you have seats if there wasn't any crew？〃
〃Maybe they took the crew out at the last minute。 It seems they were worried about radiation。 The inner hull's leadshielded； too。〃
〃Why should there be radiation associated with time travel？〃
〃I know；〃 Ted said。 〃Maybe the ship got launched by accident。 Maybe the ship was on the launch pad and somebody pressed the button before the crew got aboard so the ship took off empty。〃
〃You mean； oops； wrong button？〃
〃That'd be a hell of a mistake；〃 Norman said。
Barnes shook his head。 〃I'm not buying it。 For one thing； a ship this big could never be launched from Earth。 It had to be built and assembled in orbit； and launched from space。〃
〃What do you make of this？〃 Beth said； pointing to another console near the rear of the flight deck。 There was a fourth chair； drawn up close to the console。
The leather was wrapped around a human form。
〃No kidding。。。〃
〃There's a man in there？〃
〃Let's have a look。〃 Beth pushed the armrest buttons。 The chair whirred back from the console and unwrapped itself。 They saw a man； staring forward； his eyes open。
〃My God； after all these years； perfectly preserved；〃 Ted said。
〃You would expect that；〃 Harry said。 〃Considering he's a mannequin。〃
〃But he's so lifelike…〃
〃Give our descendants some credit for advances；〃 Harry said。 〃They're half a century ahead of us。〃 He pushed the mannequin forward； exposing an umbilicus running out the back； at the base of the hips。
〃Wires 。。。〃
〃Not wires；〃 Ted said。 〃Glass。 Optical cables。 This whole ＇＇79＇＇ ship uses optical technology； and not electronics。〃
〃In any case； it's one mystery solved；〃 Harry said； looking at the dummy。 〃Obviously this craft was built to be a manned ship； but it was sent out unmanned。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Probably the intended voyage was too dangerous。 They sent an unmanned vessel first； before they sent a manned vessel。〃
Beth said； 〃And where did they send it？〃
〃With time travel； you don't send it to a where。 You send it to a when。〃
〃Okay。 Then to when did they send it？〃
Harry shrugged。 〃No information yet；〃 he said。
That diffidence again； Norman thought。 What was Harry really thinking？
〃Well； this craft is half a mile long；〃 Barnes said。 〃We have a lot more to see。〃
〃I wonder if they had a flight recorder；〃 Norman said。
〃You mean like a mercial airliner？〃
〃Yes。 Something to record the activity of the ship on its voyage。〃
〃They must have；〃 Harry said。 〃Trace the dummy cable back； you're sure to find it。 I'd like to see that recorder； too。 In fact； I would say it is crucial。〃
Norman was looking at the console； lifting up a keyboard panel。 〃Look here；〃 he said。 〃I found a date。〃
They clustered around。 There was a stamp in the plastic beneath the keyboard。 〃Intel Inc。 Made in U。S。A。 Serial No： 98004077 8/5/43。〃
〃August 5； 2043？〃
〃Looks like it。〃
〃So we're walking through a ship fifty…odd years before it's going to be built。 。。。〃
〃This is giving me a headache。〃
〃Look here。〃 Beth had moved forward from the console deck； into what looked like living quarters。 There were twenty bunk beds。
〃Crew of twenty？ If it took three people to fly it； what were the other seventeen for？〃
＇＇80＇＇ Nobody had an answer to that。
Next； they entered a large kitchen； a toilet； living quarters。 Everything was new and sleekly designed； but recognizable for what it was。
〃You know； Hal； this is a lot more fortable than DH…8。〃
〃Yes； maybe we should move in here。〃
〃Absolutely not；〃 Barnes said。 〃We're studying this ship； not living in it。 We've got a lot more work to do before we even begin to know what this is all about。〃
〃It'd be more efficient to live here while we explore it。〃
〃I don't want to live here；〃 Harry said。 〃It gives me the creeps。〃
〃Me too；〃 Beth said。
They had been aboard the ship for an hour now； and Norman's feet hurt。 That was another thing he hadn't anticipated： while exploring a large spacecraft from the future； your feet could begin to hurt。
But Barnes continued on。
Leaving the crew quarters； they entered a vast area of narrow walkways set out between great sealed partments that stretched ahead as far as they could see。 The partments turned out to be storage bays of immense size。 They opened one bay and found it was filled with heavy plastic containers； which looked rather like the loading containers of contemporary airliners； except many times larger。 They opened one container。
〃No kidding；〃 Barnes said； peering inside。 〃What is it？〃
〃Food。〃
The food was wrapped in layers of lead foil and plastic； like NASA rations。 Ted picked one up。 〃Food from the future！〃 he said； and smacked his lips。
〃You going to eat that？〃 Harry said。
〃Absolutely；〃 Ted said。 〃You know； I once had a bottle of Dom Pérignon 1897； but this will be the first time I've ever had anything to eat from the future； from 2043。〃
＇＇81＇＇ 〃It's also three hundred years old；〃 Harry said。
〃Maybe you'll want to film this；〃 Ted said to Edmunds。 〃Me eating。〃
Edmunds dutifully put the camera to her eye； flicked on the light。
〃Let's not do that now；〃 Barnes said。 〃We have other things to acplish。〃
〃This is human interest；〃 Ted said。 〃Not now；〃 Barnes said firmly。
He opened a second storage container； and a third。 They all contained food。 They moved to the next storage bay and opened more containers。
〃It's all food。 Nothing but food。〃
The ship had traveled with an enormous amount of food。 Even allowing for a crew of twenty； it was enough food for a voyage of several years。
They were getting very tired； it was a relief when Beth found a button； said； 〃I wonder what this does…〃
Barnes said； 〃Beth…〃
And the walkway began to move； rubber tread rolling forward with a slight hum。
〃Beth； I want you to stop pushing every damn button you see。〃
But nobody else objected。 It was a relief to ride the walkway past dozens of identical storage bays。 Finally they came to a new section； much farther forward。 Norman guessed by now they were a quarter of a mile from the crew partment in the back。 That meant they were roughly in the middle of the huge ship。
And here they found a room with life…support equipment； and twenty hanging spacesuits。
〃Bingo；〃 Ted said。 〃It's finally clear。 This ship is intended to travel to the stars。〃
The others murmured； excited by the possibility。 Suddenly it all made sense： the great size； the vastness of the ship； the plexity of the control consoles。 。。。
〃Oh； for Christ's sake；〃 Harry said。 〃It can't have been made to travel to the stars。 This is obviously a conventional spacecraft； although very large。 And at
