p&c.icelimit-第43章

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　〃Scalpel；　doctor？〃　Amira　asked；　her　voice　muffled　by　her　mask。
　McFarlane　shook　his　head。　〃Nurse；　I　think　we　lost　the　patient。〃
　Amira　clucked　in　sympathy。　Behind　her；　Eli　Glinn　watched；　arms　folded。
　McFarlane　moved　to　an　electronic　stereozoom　microscope　and　swiveled　it　into　position　over　the　table。　A　highly　magnified　picture　of　the　drill　head　flickered　into　view　on　a　nearby　workstation　screen：　a　landscape　of　Armageddon；　fused　canyons　and　melted　ridges。　〃Let's　burn　one；〃　he　said。
　〃Sure　thing；　doc；〃　Amira　said；　sliding　a　writeable　CD　into　the　drive　bay　of　the　machine。
　McFarlane　pulled　a　swivel　chair　toward　the　table；　sat　down　at　the　microscope；　and　snugged　the　twin　eyepieces　to　his　head。　Slowly；　he　moved　the　eyepieces；　scanning　the　crevasses；　hoping　the　drill　bit　might　have　removed　something；　no　matter　how　small；　from　the　surface　of　the　meteorite。　But　no　telltale　particles　of　red　gleamed　in　the　lunar　landscape；　even　when　he　switched　to　UV　light。　As　he　searched；　he　was　aware　that　Glinn　had　e　forward　and　was　staring　at　the　video　screen。
　After　several　fruitless　minutes；　McFarlane　sighed。　〃Go　to　120x。〃
　Amira　adjusted　the　machine。　The　landscape　leapt　forward；　looking　even　more　grotesque。　Again　McFarlane　scanned　it；　sector　by　sector。
　〃I　can't　believe　it；〃　said　Amira；　staring　at　the　screen。　〃It　should　have　picked　up　something。〃　
　McFarlane　sat　back　with　a　sigh。　〃If　it　did；　it's　beyond　the　power　of　this　microscope　to　see　it。〃
　〃That　suggests　the　meteorite　must　be　one　tenacious　crystal　lattice。〃
　〃It　sure　as　hell　isn't　a　normal　metal。〃　McFarlane　slapped　the　two　eyepieces　together　and　folded　them　back　into　the　machine。
　〃What　now？〃　said　Glinn；　his　voice　low。
　McFarlane　swiveled　in　his　chair。　He　pulled　down　the　mask　and　thought　for　a　moment。　〃There's　always　the　electron　microprobe。〃
　〃And　that　is。。。？〃　
　〃The　planetary　geologist's　favorite　tool。　We've　got　one　here。　You　put　a　sample　of　material　in　a　vacuum　chamber；　shoot　a　high…speed　beam　of　electrons　at　it。　Normally；　you　analyze　the　X　rays　it　produces；　but　you　can　heat　up　the　electron　beam　to　the　point　where　it'll　vaporize　a　tiny　amount　of　the　material；　which　will　condense　as　a　thin　film　on　a　gold　plate。　Voila；　your　sample。　Small；　but　viable。〃
　〃How　do　you　know　the　electron　beam　will　be　able　to　vaporize　a　bit　of　the　rock？〃　Glinn　asked。
　〃The　electrons　are　ejected　from　a　filament　at　extremely　high　speed。　You　can　ramp　it　up　almost　to　the　speed　of　light　and　focus　it　down　to　a　micrometer。　Believe　me；　it'll　knock　off　at　least　a　few　atoms。〃
　Glinn　was　silent；　clearly　weighing　in　his　mind　the　possible　danger　against　the　need　for　more　information。　〃Very　well；〃　he　said。　〃Proceed。　But　remember；　no　one　is　to　touch　the　meteorite　directly。〃
　McFarlane　frowned。　〃The　tricky　part　is　how　to　do　it。　Normally；　you　bring　the　sample　to　the　microprobe。　This　time　we'll　have　to　bring　the　microprobe　to　the　sample。　But　the　thing　isn't　portable　…　it　weighs　about　six　hundred　pounds。　And　we'll　have　to　jury…rig　some　sort　of　vacuum　chamber　over　its　surface。〃
　Glinn　removed　a　radio　from　his　belt。　〃Garza？　I　want　eight　men　up　on　the　maindeck　immediately。　We'll　need　to　get　a　sling　and　vehicle　big　enough　to　move　a　six…hundred…pound　instrument　on　the　first　morning　transport。〃
　〃Tell　him　we　need　a　major　power　source；　too；〃　McFarlane　added。
　〃And　have　a　cable　with　a　ground…fault　interrupt　able　to　carry　up　to　twenty　thousand　watts。〃
　McFarlane　gave　a　low　whistle。　〃That'll　do　it。〃
　〃You　have　one　hour　to　get　your　samples。　We　have　no　more　time。〃　These　words　were　spoken　very　slowly；　and　very　clearly。　〃Garza　will　be　here　shortly。　Be　ready。〃
　Glinn　rose　abruptly　and　left　the　lab；　the　door　sucking　in　a　gust　of　frigid　air　as　it　shut　behind　him。
　McFarlane　looked　at　Amira。　〃He's　getting　touchy。〃
　〃He　hates　not　knowing；〃　said　Amira。　〃Uncertainty　drives　him　around　the　bend。〃
　〃It　must　be　hard　to　live　life　like　that。〃
　A　distant　look　of　pain　crossed　her　face。　〃You　haven't　any　idea。〃
　McFarlane　looked　at　her　curiously；　but　Amira　merely　pulled　down　her　mask　and　removed　her　gloves。　〃Let's　break　down　the　microprobe　for　transport；〃　she　said。
　
　Isla　Desolacion；
　1：45　P。M。
　
　BY　EARLY　afternoon；　the　staging　area　had　been　prepped　for　the　test。　Inside　the　little　shack；　the　light　was　brilliant；　the　air　suffocatingly　warm。　McFarlane　stood　over　the　hole；　looking　down　on　the　rich；　deep　red　surface。　Even　in　the　harsh　light　it　had　a　soft　luster。　The　microprobe；　a　long　cylinder　of　stainless　steel；　lay　on　a　padded　cradle。　Amira　was　arranging　the　other　equipment　McFarlane　had　ordered：　an　inch…thick　bell　jar　containing　a　filament　and　plug；　a　set　of　gold　disks　sealed　in　plastic；　and　an　electromagnet　for　focusing　the　electron　beam。
　〃I　need　one　square　foot　of　the　meteorite　cleaned　to　absolute　perfection；〃　McFarlane　said　to　Glinn；　who　was　standing　nearby。　〃Otherwise　we'll　get　contaminants。〃
　〃We'll　make　it　happen；〃　said　Glinn。　〃Once　we　get　the　samples；　what's　your　plan？〃
　〃We'll　run　a　series　of　tests　on　them。　With　any　luck；　we'll　be　able　to　determine　its　basic　electrical；　chemical；　and　physical　properties。〃
　〃How　long　will　that　take？〃
　〃Forty…eight　hours。　More；　if　we　eat　and　sleep。〃
　Glinn's　lips　pressed　together。　〃We　can't　afford　more　than　twelve　hours。　Confine　yourself　to　the　most　essential　tests。〃　He　checked　his　massive　gold　pocket　watch。　Another　hour；　and　all　was　in　readiness。　The　bell　jar　had　been　tightly　sealed　to　the　surface　of　the　meteorite　…　an　excruciatingly　cautious　operation。　Inside　the　bell　jar；　ten　tiny　sample　disks　lay　on　pieces　of　glass；　arrayed　in　a　circle。　A　ring　of　electromagnets　surrounded　the　jar。　The　electron　microprobe　lay　nearby；　partially　open；　its　plex　guts　exposed。　Multicolored　wires　and　tubes　streamed　from　it。
　〃Rachel；　please　turn　on　the　vacuum　pump；〃　McFarlane　said。
　There　was　a　whir　as　air　was　sucked　from　the　bell　jar。　McFarlane　monitored　a　screen　on　the　microprobe。　〃What　do　you　know。　The　seal's　holding。　Vacuum's　down　to　five　microbars。〃
　Glinn　moved　closer；　watching　the　small　screen　intently。
　〃Turn　on　the　electromagnets；〃　McFarlane　said。
　〃You've　got　it；〃　said　Amira。
　〃Douse　the　lights。〃
　The　room　went　dark。　The　only　light　came　from　cracks　in　the　walls　of　the　ill…made　shack　and　from　the　LEDs　arranged　along　the　microprobe's　controls。
　〃I'm　turning　the　beam　on　at　low　power；〃　McFarlane　whispered。
　A　faint　bluish　beam　appeared　in　the　bell　jar。　It　flickered　and　rotated；　casting　a　spectral　light　across　the　meteorite's　surface；　turning　the　crimson　surface　almost　black。　The　walls　of　the　shack　danced　and　wavered。
　McFarlane　carefully　turned　two　sets　of　dials；　altering　the　magnetic　fields　around　the　jar。　The　beam　stopped　rotating　and　began　to　narrow；　being　brighter。　Soon　it　looked　like　a　blue　pencil；　its　point　resting　on　the　meteorite's　surface。
　〃We're　there；〃　he　said。　〃Now　I'm　going　to　bring　it　to　full　power　for　five　seconds。〃
　He　held　his　breath。　If　Glinn's　concerns　were　justified…if　the　meteorite　was　somehow　dangerous　…　this　was　when　they　might　find　out。
　He　pressed　the　timer。　There　was　a　sudden；　much　brighter；　beam　inside　the　jar。　Where　it　touched　the　meteorite's　surface；　there　was　an　intense　violet　pinpoint　of　light。　Five　seconds　ticked　off；　and　then　everything　went　dark　again。　McFarlane　felt　himself　relax　involuntarily。　〃Lights。〃
　As　the　lights　came　on；　McFarlane　knelt　above　the　meteorite's　surface；　staring　eagerly　at　the　gold　disks。　He　caught　his　breath。　Each　disk　was　now　marked　with　the　faintest　blush　of　red。　Not　only　that；　but　at　the　spot　where　the　electron　beam　had　touched　the　meteorite；　he　saw　…　or　thought　he　saw　…　the　tiniest　pit；　a　gleaming　speck　on　the　smooth　surface。
　He　straightened　up。
　〃Well？〃　asked　Glinn。　〃What　happened？〃
　McFarlane　grinned。　〃This　baby　isn't　so　tough；　after　all。〃
　
　Isla　Desolacion；
　July　18；　9：00　A。M。
　
　MCFARLANE　CRUNCHED　across　the　staging　area；　Amira　at　his　side。　The　site　looked　the　same　…　the　same　rows　of　containers　and　Quonset　huts；　the　same　raw；　frosted　earth。　Only　he　was　different。　He　felt　bone　tired　yet　exhilarated。　As　they　walked　in　silence；　the　crisp　air　seemed　to　magnify　everything：　the　sound　of　his　boots　creaking　in　the　fresh　snow；　the　clatter　of　distant　machinery；　t