p&c.icelimit-第21章

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ter。
　McFarlane　made　his　way　to　the　officers'　dayroom。　Like　most　of　the　other　ship's　partments　he　had　seen；　it　was　large　and　expensively；　if　sparsely；　appointed。　But　it　housed　one　great　attraction　for　him：　a　coffeepot　that　was　never　empty。　He　poured　himself　a　cup　and　sipped　at　it　with　a　contented　sigh。
　〃Some　cream　with　that？〃　came　a　woman's　voice　from　behind　him。　He　turned　to　see　Captain　Britton。　She　closed　the　door　to　the　dayroom；　then　walked　toward　him　with　a　smile。　The　wind　had　loosened　the　severe　braid　of　hair　beneath　her　officer's　hat；　and　a　few　errant　strands　hung　down；　framing　a　long　and　elegant　neck。
　〃No　thanks；　I　prefer　it　black。〃　McFarlane　watched　as　Britton　helped　herself　to　a　cup；　adding　a　single　teaspoon　of　sugar。　They　sipped　together　in　silence　for　a　moment。
　〃I　have　to　ask　you；〃　McFarlane　said；　more　to　make　conversation　than　anything　else。　〃This　pot　always　seems　to　be　full。　And　it　always　tastes　perfectly　fresh。　Just　how　do　you　achieve　that　miracle？〃
　〃It's　no　miracle。　The　stewards　bring　a　new　pot　every　thirty　minutes；　needed　or　not。　Forty…eight　pots　a　day。〃　McFarlane　shook　his　head。　〃Remarkable；〃　he　said。　〃But　then；　it's　a　remarkable　ship。〃
　Captain　Britton　took　another　sip　of　coffee。　〃Care　for　a　tour？〃　she　asked。
　McFarlane　looked　at　her。　Surely　the　master　of　the　Rolvaag　had　better　things　to　do。　Still；　it　would　be　a　nice　break。　Life　on　board　ship　had　quickly　settled　into　a　routine。　He　took　a　final　swig　of　coffee　and　set　down　the　cup。　〃Sounds　great；〃　he　said。　〃I've　been　wondering　what　kind　of　secrets　are　hiding　inside　this　big　old　hull。〃
　〃Not　many　secrets；〃　Britton　said；　opening　the　door　to　the　dayroom　and　ushering　him　out　into　the　wide　hallway。　〃Just　lots　and　lots　of　places　to　put　oil。〃
　The　door　to　the　maindeck　opened　and　the　slight　figure　of　Rachel　Amira　appeared。　Seeing　them；　she　paused。　Britton　gave　her　a　cool　nod；　then　turned　away　and　started　down　the　corridor。　As　they　rounded　the　corner；　McFarlane　glanced　backward。　Amira　was　still　watching　them；　a　smirk　on　her　lips。
　Opening　a　huge　set　of　double　doors；　Britton　led　him　into　the　ship's　galley。　Here；　Mr。　Singh　held　sway　over　stewards；　assistant　chefs；　and　banks　of　gleaming　ovens。　There　were　massive　walk…in　freezers；　full　of　sides　of　lamb；　beef；　chickens；　ducks；　and　a　row　of　red…and…white…marbled　carcasses　McFarlane　thought　must　be　goats。　〃You've　got　enough　to　feed　an　army　here；〃　he　said。
　〃Mr。　Singh　would　probably　say　you　scientists　eat　like　one。〃　Britton　smiled。　〃e　on；　let's　leave　him　to　it。〃
　They　passed　the　billiards　room　and　swimming　pool；　then　descended　a　level；　where　Britton　showed　him　the　crew's　game　room　and　mess。　Down　another　staircase　and　they　arrived　at　the　crew's　quarters：　large　rooms　with　individual　baths；　sandwiched　between　galleries　that　ran　up　the　port　and　starboard　sides　of　the　ship。　They　paused　at　the　end　of　the　port　passageway。　Here；　the　noise　of　the　engine　was　noticeably　louder。　The　corridor　seemed　to　stretch　forward　forever；　portholes　on　the　left；　cabin　doors　on　the　right。
　〃Everything's　built　to　a　giant's　scale；〃　McFarlane　said。　〃And　it's　so　empty。〃
　Britton　laughed。　〃Visitors　always　say　that。　The　fact　is；　the　ship's　basically　run　by　puters。　We　navigate　by　geophysical　satellite　data；　course　is　maintained　automatically；　even　collision　detection　is　monitored　electronically。　Thirty　years　ago；　ship's　electrician　was　a　lowly　position。　Now；　electronics　specialists　are　critical。〃
　〃It's　all　very　impressive。〃　McFarlane　turned　toward　Britton。　〃Don't　get　me　wrong；　but　I've　always　wondered　why　Glinn　chose　a　tanker　for　this　job。　Why　go　to　the　trouble　of　disguising　a　tanker　as　an　ore　carrier？　Why　not　just　get　a　dry　bulk　carrier　to　begin　with？　Or　a　big　container　ship？　God　knows　it　would　have　been　cheaper。〃
　〃I　think　I　can　explain　that。　Follow　me。〃
　Britton　opened　a　door　and　ushered　McFarlane　forward。　The　carpeting　and　wood　veneer　gave　way　to　stamped　metal　and　linoleum。　They　descended　yet　another　set　of　stairs　to　a　door　labeled　CARGO　CONTROL　ROOM。　The　room　beyond　was　dominated　by　a　vast　electronic　schematic　of　the　ship's　maindeck；　mounted　on　the　far　bulkhead。　Countless　small　points　of　light　blinked　red　and　yellow　across　its　surface。
　〃This　is　the　ship's　mimic　diagram；〃　Britton　said；　motioning　McFarlane　toward　the　schematic。　〃It's　the　way　we　keep　track　of　how　and　where　cargo　is　loaded。　We　control　the　ballast；　pumps；　and　cargo　valves　directly　from　the　mimic　area。〃　She　pointed　to　a　series　of　gauges　and　switches　arrayed　beneath　the　diagram。　〃These　controls　regulate　the　pump　pressures。〃
　She　led　the　way　across　the　room；　where　an　officer　watched　an　array　of　puter　screens。　〃This　puter　calculates　cargo　distribution。　And　these　puters　are　the　ship's　automatic　gauging　system。　They　monitor　pressure；　volume；　and　temperature　throughout　the　ship's　tanks。〃
　She　patted　the　beige　case　of　the　nearest　monitor。　〃This　is　why　Glinn　chose　a　tanker。　This　meteorite　of　yours　is　heavy。　Loading　it　will　be　exceedingly　tricky。　With　our　tanks　and　puters；　we　can　shift　seawater　ballast　around　from　tank　to　tank；　maintaining　even　trim　and　list　no　matter　what　weird　lopsided　thing　goes　inside。　We　can　keep　everything　level。　I　don't　think　anybody　would　be　happy　if　we　turned　belly…up　the　moment　you　drop　that　thing　in　the　tank。〃
　Britton　moved　to　the　far　side　of　the　ballast　control　equipment。　〃Speaking　of　the　puters；　do　you　have　any　idea　what　this　is？〃　She　pointed　to　a　tall；　freestanding　tower　of　black　steel；　featureless　except　for　a　keyhole　and　a　small　logo　reading　SECURE　DATAMETRICS。　It　looked　very　different　from　the　rest　of　the　ship's　electronics。　〃Glinn's　people　installed　it　back　in　Elizabeth。　There's　another；　smaller　one　like　it；　up　on　the　bridge。　None　of　my　officers　can　figure　out　what　the　thing　does。〃
　McFarlane　ran　a　curious　hand　over　its　beveled　front。　〃No　idea。　Could　it　have　something　to　do　with　the　dead　man's　switch？〃
　〃That's　what　I　assumed　at　first。〃　She　led　him　out　of　the　room　and　along　the　metal…floored　corridor　to　a　waiting　elevator。　〃But　it　seems　to　be　tied　in　to　more　than　one　of　the　ship's　key　systems。〃
　〃Would　you　like　me　to　ask　Glinn？〃
　〃No；　don't　bother。　I'll　ask　him　sometime　myself。　But　here　I　am；　going　on　and　on　about　the　Rolvaag；〃　she　said；　punching　an　elevator　button。　〃I'm　curious　how　exactly　one　bees　a　meteorite　hunter。〃
　McFarlane　looked　at　her　as　the　elevator　began　to　sink。　She　was　a　very　poised　woman；　her　shoulders　were　straight；　her　chin　held　high。　But　it　was　not　a　military　kind　of　stiffness；　rather；　he　thought；　it　was　a　kind　of　quiet　pride。　She　knew　he　was　a　meteorite　hunter：　he　wondered　if　she　knew　about　Masangkay　and　the　Tornarssuk　meteorite　fiasco。　You　and　I　have　a　lot　in　mon；　he　thought。　He　could　only　imagine　how　tough　it　must　have　been　for　her　to　put　on　a　uniform　again　and　walk　a　bridge；　wondering　what　people　were　saying　behind　her　back。
　〃I　got　caught　in　a　meteorite　shower　in　Mexico。〃
　〃Incredible。　And　you　survived。〃
　〃Only　once　in　recorded　history　has　a　meteorite　ever　struck　anyone；〃　McFarlane　said。　〃A　woman　with　a　history　of　hypochondria；　lying　in　bed。　The　rock　had　been　slowed　by　going　through　the　upper　stories　of　her　house；　so　it　only　made　a　massive　bruise。　Sure　got　her　out　of　bed；　though。〃
　Britton　laughed：　a　lovely　sound。
　〃So　I　went　back　to　school　and　became　a　planetary　geologist。　But　I　was　never　very　good　at　playing　the　sober　scientist。〃
　〃What　does　a　planetary　geologist　study？〃
　〃A　long　list　of　boring　subjects；　before　you　get　to　the　really　good　stuff。　Geology；　chemistry；　astronomy；　physics；　calculus。〃
　〃Sounds　more　interesting　than　studying　for　a　master's　license。　And　the　good　stuff？〃
　〃My　high　point　was　getting　to　study　a　Martian　meteorite　in　graduate　school。　I　was　looking　at　the　effect　of　cosmic　rays　on　its　chemical　position　…　trying　to　find　a　way　to　date　it；　basically。〃
　The　elevator　door　opened　and　they　stepped　out。　〃A　real　Martian　rock；〃　Britton　said；　opening　a　door　and　stepping　out　into　yet　another　endless　corridor。
　McFarlane　shrugged。　〃I　liked　finding　meteorites。　It　was　a　bit　like　treasure　hunting。　And　I　liked　studying　meteorites。
　But　I　didn't　like　rubbing　elbows　at　faculty　sherry　hour；　or　going　to　conferences　and　chatting　with　rock　jocks　about　collisional　ejection　and