p&c.icelimit-第60部分

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　Eli　Glinn　stood　inside　the　mouth　of　the　ice　tunnel；　watching　the　progress　as　the　great　machines　worked。　All　had　gone　according　to　plan；　despite　the　two　recent　deaths。　Half　a　dozen　thick　hoses　snaked　out　of　the　hole　in　the　ice；　diesel　fumes　and　soot　spewing　from　their　ends：　a　jury…rigged　forced…air　system　to　suck　exhaust　from　the　tunnel　while　the　heavy　machinery　carved　through　the　ice。　It　was　beautiful　in　its　way；　Glinn　thought；　one　more　engineering　marvel　in　a　long　list　since　the　project　had　begun。　The　walls　and　ceiling　of　the　tunnel　were　rough…edged　and　irregular；　fractal　in　their　endless　knobs　and　ridges。　A　million　cracks　and　fissures　ran　away　in　crazy　spiderwebs　across　the　walls；　white　against　the　shockingly　deep　blue　of　the　ice。　Only　the　floor　was　even；　covered　with　the　omnipresent　crushed　gravel　over　which　the　cart　would　travel。
　A　single　row　of　fluorescent　lights　lit　the　tunnel。　Peering　ahead；　Glinn　could　see　the　meteorite　on　its　cart；　a　red　blob　inside　an　eerie　blue　tube。　The　tunnel　echoed　with　the　crashing　and　grinding　of　unseen　machinery。　There　was　a　wink　of　headlights　in　the　distance；　then　some　kind　of　vehicle　made　its　way　around　the　meteorite　and　came　toward　him。　It　was　a　train　of　ore　carts；　full　of　glittering　blue　shards　of　ice。
　The　revelation　that　the　meteorite　could　kill　by　touch　had　startled　Glinn　more　than　he　cared　to　admit。　Despite　that　he　had　instituted　orders　never　to　touch　the　rock　directly；　he　had　always　considered　this　merely　a　judicious　precaution。　He　sensed　that　McFarlane　was　right：　the　touch　had　caused　the　explosion。　There　seemed　to　be　no　other　possible　answer。　A　strategic　recalculation　had　bee　necessary。　It　had　caused　yet　another　revision　in　his　failure…success　analysis　…　one　that　required　virtually　all　of　EES's　puter　capacity　back　in　New　York　to　process。
　Glinn　looked　once　again　at　the　red　rock；　sitting　like　a　huge　gemstone　on　its　bed　of　greenheart　oak。　This　was　the　thing　that　killed　Vallenar's　man；　killed　Rochefort　and　Evans；　killed　Masangkay。　Strange　that　it　had　not　killed　Lloyd。　It　was　undeniably　deadly。。。　but　the　fact　was；　they　were　still　ahead　of　schedule　on　fatalities。　The　volcano　project　had　cost　fourteen　lives；　including　one　meddling　government　minister　who　insisted　on　being　where　he　shouldn't　have　been。　Glinn　reminded　himself　that；　despite　the　strangeness　of　the　rock；　despite　the　problem　of　the　Chilean　destroyer；　this　remained　essentially　a　heavy　moving　job。
　He　glanced　at　his　watch。　McFarlane　and　Amira　would　be　on　time；　they　always　were。　And　he　could　see　them　now；　stepping　out　of　a　snowcat　at　the　mouth　of　the　ice　tunnel；　McFarlane　lugging　a　duffel　bag　full　of　instruments。　In　five　minutes　they　were　at　Glinn's　side。　He　turned　to　them。　〃You've　got　forty　minutes　until　the　tunnel　is　plete　and　the　meteorite　is　moved　again。　Make　good　use　of　it。〃
　〃We　intend　to；〃　said　Amira。
　He　watched　her　pulling　gear　out　of　the　duffel　and　setting　up　instruments；　while　McFarlane　silently　took　pictures　of　the　rock　with　a　digital　camera。　She　was　capable。　McFarlane　had　learned　about　her　reports；　as　he　had　expected。　This　had　had　the　desired　effect：　it　put　McFarlane　on　notice　that　his　behavior　was　being　scrutinized。　It　also　gave　Amira　an　ethical　dilemma　to　occupy　herself　with；　always　helpful　in　distracting　her　from　the　thornier　moral　questions　she　had　a　tendency　to　ask。　Moral　questions　that　had　no　place　in　a　cold…blooded　engineering　project。　McFarlane　had　taken　it　better　than　the　profile　predicted。　A　plicated　man；　and　one　who　had　proven　himself　unusually　useful。
　Glinn　noticed　another　cat　arriving；　also　with　a　passenger。　Sally　Britton　stepped　out；　a　long　coat　of　navy　blue　wool　billowing　out　behind　her。　Uncharacteristically；　there　was　no　officer's　cap　on　her　head；　and　her　wheat…colored　hair　gleamed　in　the　lights　of　the　tunnel。　Glinn　smiled。　He　had　also　been　expecting　this；　ever　since　the　explosion　that　killed　the　Chilean　spy。　Expecting　it；　even　looking　forward　to　it。
　As　Britton　drew　near；　Glinn　turned　toward　her　with　a　genuinely　weling　smile。　He　took　her　hand。　〃Nice　to　see　you；　Captain。　What　brings　you　down　here？〃
　Britton　looked　around；　her　intelligent　green　eyes　taking　in　everything。　They　froze　when　they　saw　the　meteorite。
　〃Good　God；〃　she　said；　her　step　suddenly　faltering。
　Glinn　smiled。　〃It's　always　a　shock　at　first　sight。〃
　She　nodded　wordlessly。
　〃Nothing　great　can　happen　in　this　world；　Captain；　without　some　difficulty。〃　Glinn　spoke　quietly；　but　with　great　force。　〃It's　the　scientific　discovery　of　the　century。〃　Glinn　did　not　particularly　care　about　its　value　to　science；　his　interest　was　solely　in　the　engineering　aspects。　But　he　was　not　going　to　eschew　a　little　drama；　if　it　served　his　purposes。
　Britton　continued　staring。　〃They　said　it　was　red；　but　I　had　no　idea。。。〃
　The　roar　of　heavy　machinery　echoed　down　the　ice　tunnel　as　she　stared：　one　minute；　then　two。　At　last；　with　obvious　effort；　she　took　a　breath；　pulled　her　eyes　away；　and　faced　him。
　〃Two　more　people　have　been　killed。　But　what　news　we've　had　from　you　has　been　slow　in　ing；　and　rumors　are　everywhere。　The　crew　are　nervous；　and　so　are　my　officers。　I　need　to　know　exactly　what　happened；　and　why。〃
　Glinn　nodded；　waiting。
　〃That　meteorite　is　not　ing　on　board　my　ship　until　I'm　convinced　it's　safe。〃　She　said　it　all　at　once　and　then　stood　firm；　her　slim；　small　form　planted　on　the　gravel。
　Glinn　smiled。　This　was　one　hundred　percent　Sally　Britton。　Every　day　he　admired　her　more。
　〃I　feel　exactly　the　same　way；〃　he　said。
　She　looked　at　him；　off　balance；　obviously　having　expected　resistance。
　〃Mr。　Glinn；　we　have　a　dead　Chilean　naval　officer　to　explain　to　the　authorities。　We　have　a　warship　out　there　somewhere；　a　destroyer　that　likes　to　train　its　guns　on　us。　Three　of　your　people　are　dead。　We　have　a　twenty…five…thousand…ton　rock　that；　when　it　isn't　crushing　people；　blows　them　to　bits；　and　you　want　to　put　it　inside　my　ship。〃　She　paused　a　moment；　then　continued；　her　voice　lower。　〃Even　the　best　crews　can　get　superstitious。　There's　been　a　lot　of　wild　talk。〃
　〃You　are　right　to　be　concerned。　Let　me　brief　you　on　what　happened。　I　apologize　for　not　ing　to　the　ship　myself；　but　as　you　know　we've　been　fighting　the　clock。〃
　She　waited。
　〃Two　nights　ago；　during　the　storm；　we　had　an　intruder　from　the　Chilean　ship。　He　was　killed　by　an　electrical　discharge　from　the　meteorite。　Unfortunately；　not　before　he　murdered　one　of　our　men。〃
　Britton　looked　at　him　sharply。　〃So　it's　true？　Lightning　shot　out　of　the　meteorite？　I　didn't　believe　it。　And　I　sure　as　hell　don't　understand　it。〃
　〃It's　actually　quite　simple。　It's　made　of　a　metal　that　is　a　superconductor　of　electricity。　The　human　body　…　human　skin　…　has　an　electrical　potential。　If　you　touch　the　meteorite；　the　meteorite　discharges　some　of　the　electricity　circulating　inside　it。　Like　a　blast　of　lightning；　only　greater。　McFarlane　has　explained　the　theory　to　me。　That's　what　we　believe　killed　the　Chilean；　as　well　as　Nestor　Masangkay；　the　man　who　first　discovered　the　meteorite。〃
　〃Why　does　it　do　that？〃
　〃McFarlane　and　Amira　are　working　on　that　question　now。　But　moving　the　rock　is　the　priority　now；　and　they　haven't　had　time　for　further　analysis。〃
　〃So　what's　to　prevent　this　from　happening　on　my　ship？〃
　〃Another　good　question。〃　Glinn　smiled。　〃We're　working　on　that　one　too。　We're　taking　great　precautions　to　make　sure　no　one　touches　it。　Indeed；　we　had　instituted　such　a　policy　even　before　we　realized　that　touch　could　trigger　an　explosion。〃
　〃I　see。　Where　does　the　electricity　e　from？〃
　Glinn's　hesitation　was　very　brief。　〃That's　one　of　the　things　that　Dr。　McFarlane　is　studying　right　now。〃
　Britton　did　not　respond。
　Quite　suddenly；　Glinn　took　her　hand。　He　felt　a　brief；　instinctive　resistance。　Then　she　relaxed。
　〃I　understand　your　concerns；　Captain；〃　he　said　gently。　〃That's　why　we　are　taking　all　possible　precautions。　But　you　must　believe　we　will　not　fail。　You　must　believe　in　me。　Just　as　I　believe　in　you　to　maintain　discipline　aboard　your　ship；　despite　the　nervousness　and　superstitions　of　the　crew。〃
　She　looked　at　him；　but　he　could　see　her　eyes　irresistibly　drawn　back　to　the　great　red　rock。
　〃Stay　a　while；〃　said　Glinn　softly；　smiling。　〃Stay　and　watch　us　bring　the　heaviest　object　ever　moved　by　ma