inca.gold-第28部分

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eir　huge　winches；　could　be　adapted　to　operate　every　conceivable　underwater　function；　from　mining　excavation　to　deep　water　salvage　and　manned　and　unmanned　submersible　launch　and　recovery。
　　　　The　ship's　hull　was　painted　in　NUMA's　traditional　turquoise　with　a　white　superstructure　and　azure　blue　crapes。　From　bow　to　stern　she　stretched　the　length　of　a　football　field；　berthing　up　to　thirty…five　scientists　and　twenty　crew。　Although　she　didn't　look　it　from　the　outside；　her　interior　living　quarters　were　as　plush　as　most　luxurious　passenger　liners。　Admiral　James　Sandecker；　with　rare　insight　given　to　few　bureaucrats；　knew　his　people　could　perform　more　efficiently　if　treated　accordingly；　and　the　Deep　Fathom　reflected　his　conviction。　Her　dining　room　was　fitted　out　like　a　fine　restaurant　and　the　galley　was　run　by　a　first…rate　chef。
　　　　Pitt　led　Shannon　up　to　the　navigation　bridge。　〃Our　brain　center；〃　he　pointed　out；　sweeping　one　hand　around　a　vast　room　filled　with　digital　arrays；　puters；　and　video　monitors　mounted　on　a　long　console　that　ran　the　full　width　of　the　bridge　beneath　a　massive　expanse　of　windows。　〃Most　everything　on　the　ship　is　controlled　from　here；　except　the　operation　of　deep　water　equipment。　That　takes　place　in　partments　containing　electronics　designed　for　specialized　deep　sea　projects。〃
　　　　Shannon　stared　at　the　gleaming　chrome；　the　colorful　images　on　the　monitors；　the　panoramic　view　of　the　sea　around　the　bows。　It　all　seemed　as　impressive　and　modern　as　a　futuristic　video　parlor。　〃Where　is　the　helm？〃　she　asked。
　　　　〃The　old…fashioned　wheel　went　out　with　the　Queen　Mary；〃　answered　Pitt。　He　showed　her　the　console　for　the　ship's　automated　control；　a　panel　with　levers　and　a　remote　control　unit　that　could　be　mounted　on　the　bridge　wings。　〃Navigation　is　now　carried　out　by　puters。　The　captain　can　even　con　the　ship　by　voice　mand。〃
　　　　〃For　someone　who　digs　up　old　potsherds；　I　had　no　idea　ships　were　so　advanced。〃
　　　　〃After　lagging　as　a　stepchild　for　forty　years；　marine　science　and　technology　have　finally　been　recognized　by　government　and　private　business　as　the　emerging　industry　of　the　future。〃
　　　　〃You　never　fully　explained　what　you're　doing　in　the　waters　off　Peru。〃
　　　　〃We're　probing　the　seas　in　search　of　new　drugs；〃　he　answered。
　　　　〃Drugs；　as　in　take　two　plankton　and　call　me　in　the　morning？〃
　　　　Pitt　smiled　and　nodded。　〃It's　entirely　within　the　realm　of　possibility　your　doctor　may　someday　actually　prescribe　such　a　remedy。〃
　　　　〃So　the　hunt　for　new　drugs　has　gone　underwater。〃
　　　　〃A　necessity。　We've　already　found　and　processed　over　ninety　percent　of　all　the　land　organisms　that　provide　sources　of　medicine　to　treat　diseases。　Aspirin　and　quinine　e　from　the　bark　of　trees。　Chemicals　contained　in　everything　from　snake　venom　to　secretion　from　frogs　to　lymph　from　pigs'　glands　are　used　in　drug　pounds。　But　marine　creatures　and　the　microorganisms　that　dwell　in　the　depths　have　been　an　untapped　source；　and　might　well　be　the　hope　of　curing　every　affliction；　including　the　mon　cold；　cancer；　or　AIDS。〃
　　　　〃But　surely　you　can't　simply　go　out　and　bring　back　a　boatload　of　microbes　for　processing　at　a　laboratory　for　distribution　to　your　friendly　pharmacy？〃
　　　　〃Not　as　farfetched　as　you　might　think；〃　he　said。　〃Any　one　of　a　hundred　organisms　that　live　in　a　drop　of　water　can　be　cultivated；　harvested；　and　rendered　into　medicines。　Jellyfish；　an　invertebrate　animal　called　a　bryozoan；　certain　sponges；　and　several　corals　are　currently　being　developed　into　anticancer　medicines；　anti…inflammatory　agents　for　arthritis　pain；　and　drugs　that　suppress　organ　rejection　after　transplant　surgery。　The　test　results　on　a　chemical　isolated　from　kelp　look　especially　encouraging　in　bating　a　drug…resistant　strain　of　tuberculosis。〃
　　　　〃Just　where　in　the　ocean　are　you　looking　for　these　wonder　drugs？〃　asked　Shannon。
　　　　〃This　expedition　is　concentrating　on　a　ridge　of　chimneylike　vents　where　hot　magma　from　within　the　earth's　mantle　es　in　contact　with　cold　seawater　and　spews　through　a　series　of　cracks　before　spreading　across　the　bottom。　You　might　call　it　a　deep…ocean　hot　spring。　Various　minerals　are　deposited　over　a　wide　area…copper；　zinc；　iron；　along　with　water　heavy　in　hydrogen　sulfide。　Incredibly；　vast　colonies　of　giant　clams；　mussels；　huge　tube　worms；　and　bacteria　that　utilize　the　sulfur　pounds　to　synthesize　sugars　live　and　thrive　in　this　dark　and　toxic　environment。　It　is　this　remarkable　species　of　sea　life　that　we're　collecting　with　submersibles　for　laboratory　testing　and　clinical　trials　back　in　the　States。〃
　　　　〃Are　there　many　scientists　working　on　these　miracle　cures？〃
　　　　Pitt　shook　his　head。　〃Around　the　world；　maybe　fifty　or　sixty。　Marine　medical　research　is　still　in　its　infancy。〃
　　　　〃How　long　before　we　see　the　drugs　on　the　market？〃
　　　　〃The　regulatory　obstacles　are　staggering。　Doctors　won't　be　prescribing　many　of　these　medications　for　another　ten　years。〃
　　　　Shannon　walked　over　to　an　array　of　monitors　that　filled　an　entire　panel　of　one　bulkhead。　〃This　looks　impressive。〃
　　　　〃Our　secondary　mission　is　to　map　the　seafloor　wherever　the　ship　sails。〃
　　　　〃What　are　the　monitors　showing？〃
　　　　〃You're　looking　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea　in　a　myriad　of　shapes　and　images；〃　Pitt　explained。　〃Our　long…range；　low…resolution　side…scan　sonar　system　can　record　a　swath　in　three…dimensional　color　up　to　fifty　kilometers　wide。〃
　　　　Shannon　stared　at　the　incredible　display　of　ravines　and　mountains　thousands　of　meters　below　the　ship。　〃I　never　thought　I'd　be　able　to　observe　the　land　beneath　the　sea　this　clearly。　It's　like　staring　out　the　window　of　an　airliner　over　the　Rocky　Mountains。〃
　　　　〃With　puter　enhancement　it　bees　even　sharper。〃
　　　　〃Romance　of　the　seven　seas；〃　she　waxed　philosophically。　〃You're　like　the　early　explorers　who　charted　new　worlds。〃
　　　　Pitt　laughed。　〃High　tech　takes　away　any　hint　of　the　romance。〃
　　　　They　left　the　bridge；　and　he　showed　her　through　the　ship's　laboratory　where　a　team　of　chemists　and　marine　biologists　were　fussing　over　a　dozen　glass　tanks　teeming　with　a　hundred　different　denizens　from　the　deep；　studying　data　from　puter　monitors；　and　examining　microorganisms　under　microscopes。
　　　　〃After　retrieval　from　the　bottom；〃　said　Pitt；　〃this　is　where　the　first　step　in　the　quest　for　new　drugs　begins。〃
　　　　〃What　is　your　part　in　all　of　this？〃　Shannon　asked。
　　　　〃Al　Giordino　and　I　operate　the　robotic　vehicles　that　probe　the　seafloor　for　promising　organism　sites。　When　we　think　we've　located　a　prime　location；　we　go　down　in　a　submersible　to　collect　the　specimens。〃
　　　　She　sighed。　〃Your　field　is　far　more　exotic　than　mine。〃
　　　　Pitt　shook　his　head。　〃I　disagree。　Searching　into　the　origins　of　our　ancestors　can　be　pretty　exotic　in　its　own　right。　If　we　feel　no　attraction　for　the　past；　why　do　millions　of　us　pay　homage　to　ancient　Egypt；　Rome；　and　Athens　every　year？　Why　do　we　wander　over　the　battlefields　of　Gettysburg　and　Waterloo　or　stand　on　the　cliffs　and　look　down　on　the　beaches　of　Normandy？　Because　we　have　to　look　back　into　history　to　see　ourselves。〃
　　　　Shannon　stood　silently。　She　had　expected　a　certain　coldness　from　a　man　whom　she　had　watched　kill　without　apparent　remorse。　She　was　surprised　at　the　depth　of　his　words；　at　his　easy　way　of　expressing　ideas。
　　　　He　spoke　of　the　sea；　of　shipwrecks；　and　of　lost　treasure。　She　described　the　great　archaeological　mysteries　waiting　to　be　solved。　There　was　mutual　delight　in　this　exchange；　yet　there　was　still　an　indefinable　gap　between　them。　Neither　felt　strongly　attracted　to　the　other。
　　　　They　had　strolled　out　on　deck　and　were　leaning　over　the　railing；　watching　the　white　foam　thrown　from　the　Deep　Fathom's　bow　slide　past　the　hull　and　merge　with　the　froth　from　the　wake；　when　skipper　Frank　Stewart　appeared。
　　　　〃It's　official；〃　he　said　in　his　soft　Alabama　drawl；　〃we've　been　ordered　to　transport　the　Peruvian　young　people　and　Dr。　Kelsey　to　Lima's　port　city　of　Callao。〃
　　　　〃You　were　in　munication　with　Admiral　Sandecker？〃　inquired　Pitt。
　　　　Stewart　shook　his　head。　〃His　director　of　operations；　Rudi　Gunn。〃
　　　　〃After　we　set　everyone　on　shore；　I　assume　we　sail　back　on…site　and　continue　with　the　project？〃
　　　　〃The　crew　and　I　do。　You　and　Al　have　been　ordered　to　return　to　the　sacred　well　and　retrieve　Dr。　Miller's　body。〃
　　　　Pit