the.lost.world-第16章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
tual testing。 The way it ought to be。〃
Thorne's dislike of theory was legendary。 In his view' a theory was nothing more than a substitute for experience put forth by someone who didn't know what he was talking about。 〃And now look。 Jerry？ Jerry！ Why'd we do all these simulations； if you guys aren't going to follow the plans？ Is everybody brain…dead around here？〃
〃Sorry； Doc。。。〃
〃Don't be sorry！ Be right！〃
〃Well； we're massively overbuilt anyway…〃
〃Oh？ Is that your decision？ You're the designer now？ Just follow the plans！〃
Arby trotted alongside Thorne。 〃I'm worried about Dr。 Levine；〃 he said。
'Really？ I'm not。〃
〃But he's always been reliable。 And very well organized。〃
〃That's true；〃 Thorne said。 〃He's also pletely impulsive and does whatever he feels like。〃
〃Maybe so；〃 Arby said； 〃but I don't think he'd be missing without a good reason。 I'm afraid he might be in trouble。 Only last week； he had us go with him to visit Professor Malcolm in Berkeley； who had this map of the world in his office； and it showed … 〃
〃Malcolm！〃 Thorne snorted。 〃Spare me！ Peas in a pod； those two。 Each more impractical than the other。 But I'd better get hold of Levine now。〃 He turned on his heel； and walked toward his office。
Arby said； 〃You going to use the satphone？〃
Thorne paused。 〃The what？〃
〃The satphone；〃 Arby said。 〃Didn't Dr。 Levine take a satphone with him？〃
〃How could he？〃 Thorne said。 〃You know the smallest satellite phones are the size of a suitcase。〃
〃Yeah； but they don't have to be；〃 Arby said。 〃You could have made one very small。〃
〃Could I？ How？〃 Despite himself； Thorne was amused by this kid。 You had to like him。
〃With that VLSI board that we picked up；〃 Arby said。 〃The triangular one。 It had two Motorola BSN…23 chip arrays； and they're restricted technology developed for the CIA because they allow you to make a … 〃
Thorne said； interrupting him。 〃Where did you learn all this？ I've warned you about hacking systems … 〃
〃Don't worry； I'm careful；〃 Arby said。 〃But it's true about the board； isn't it？ You could use it to make a one…pound satphone。 So： did you？〃
Thorne stared at him for a long time。
〃Maybe；〃 he said finally。 〃What of it？〃
Arby grinned。 〃Cool；〃 he said。
Thorne's small office was located in a corner of the shed。 Inside the walls were plastered with blueprints； order forms on clipboards； and three…dimensional cutaway puter drawings； Electronic ponents； equipment catalogs； and stacks of faxes were scattered across his desk。 Thorne rummaged through them； and finally came up with a small gray handheld telephone。 〃Here we are。〃 He held it up for Arby to see。 〃Pretty good； huh？ Designed it myself。〃
Kelly said； 〃It looks just like a cellular phone。〃
〃Yes； but it's not。 A cellular phone uses a grid in place。 A satellite phone links directly to munication satellites in space。 With one of these I can talk anywhere in the world。〃 He dialed swiftly。 〃Used to be； they needed a three…foot dish。 Then it was a one…foot dish。 Now no dish at all … just the handset。 Not bad； if I say so myself。 Let's see if he's answering。〃 He pushed the speakerphone。 They heard the call dial through； hissing static。
〃Knowing Richard；〃 Thorne said； 〃he probably just missed his plane； or forgot that he was supposed to be back here today for final approvals。 And we're pretty much finished here。 When you see we're down to the exterior struts and the upholstery； the fact is； we're done。 He's going to hold us up。 It's very inconsiderate of him。〃 The phone rang； repeated electronic beeps。 〃If I can't get through to him； I'll try Sarah Harding。〃
〃Sarah Harding？〃 Kelly asked； looking up。
Arby said； 〃Who's Sarah Harding？〃
〃Only the most famous young animal behaviorist in the world； Arb。〃 Sarah Harding was one of Kelly's personal heroes。 Kelly had read every article she could about her。 Sarah Harding had been a poor scholarship student at the University of Chicago but now； at thirty…three； she was an assistant professor at Princeton。 She was beautiful and independent； a rebel； who went her own way。 She had chosen the life of a scientist in the field； living alone in Africa； where she studied lions and hyenas。 She was famously tough。 Once； when her Land Rover broke down； she walked twenty miles across the savannah all by herself； driving away lions by throwing rocks at them。
In photographs； Sarah was usually posed in shorts and a khaki shirt； with binoculars around her neck； next to a Land Rover。 With her short； dark hair and her strong； muscular body； she looked rugged but glamorous at the same time。 At least； that was how she appeared to Kelly； who always studied the pictures intently； taking in every detail。
〃Never heard of her；〃 Arby said。
Thorne said； 〃Spending too much time with puters； Arby？〃
Arby said； 〃No。〃 Kelly saw Arby's shoulders hunch； and he sort of withdrew into himself； the way he always did when he felt criticized。 Sulky； he said； 〃Animal behaviorist？〃
〃That's right；〃 Thorne said。 〃I know Levine's talked to her several times in the last few weeks。 She's helping him with all this equipment； when it finally goes into the field。 Or advising him。 Or something。 Or maybe the connection is with Malcolm。 After all； she was in love with Malcolm。〃
〃I don't believe it〃； Kelly said。 〃Maybe he was in love with her。。。。〃
Thorne looked at her。 〃You've met her？〃
〃No。 But I know about her。〃
〃I see。〃 Thorne said no more。 He could see all the signs of hero worship； and he approved。 A girl could do worse than admire Sarah Harding。 At least she wasn't an athlete or a rock star。 In fact； it was refreshing for a kid to admire somebody who actually tried to advance knowledge。
The phone continued to ring。 There was no answer。
〃Well； we know Levine's equipment is in order；〃 Thorne said。 〃Because the call is going through。 We know that much。〃
Arby said； 〃Can you trace it？〃
〃Unfortunately； no。 And if we keep this up； we'll probably drain the field battery； which means… 〃
There was a click； and they heard a man's voice； remarkably distinct and clear： 〃Levine。〃
〃Okay。 Good。 He's there；〃 Thorne said； nodding。 He pushed the button on his handset。 〃Richard？ It's Doc Thorne。〃
Over the speakerphone； they heard a sustained static hiss。 Then a cough； and a scratchy voice said： 〃Hello？ Hello？ It's Levine here。〃
Thorne pressed the button on his phone。 〃Richard。 It's Thorne。 Do you read me？〃
〃Hello？〃 Levine said； at the other end。 〃Hello？〃
Thorne sighed。 〃Richard。 You have to press the 'T' button； for transmit。 Over。〃
〃Hello？〃 Another cough； deep and rasping。 〃This is Levine。 Hello？〃
Thorne shook his head in disgust。 〃Obviously； be doesn't know how to work it。 Damn！ I went over it very carefully with him。 Of course he wasn't paying attention。 Geniuses never pay attention。 They think they know everything。 These things aren't toys。〃 He pushed the send button。 〃Richard； listen to me。 You must push the 'T' in order to … 〃
〃This is Levine。 Hello？ Levine。 Please。 I need help。〃 A kind of groan。 〃If you can hear me； send help。 Listen； I'm on the island； I managed to get here all right； but … 〃
A crackle。 A hiss。
〃Uh…oh；〃 Thorne said。
〃What is it？〃 Arby said； leaning forward。
〃We're losing him。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Battery；〃 Thorne said。 〃It's going fast。 Damn。 Richard： where are you？〃
Over the speakerphone； they heard Levine's voice： 〃 … dead already … situation got … now … very serious … don't know … can hear me； but if you … get help … 〃
〃Richard。 Tell us where you are！〃
The phone hissed； the transmission getting steadily worse。 They heard Levine say： 〃 … have me surrounded； and … vicious … can smell them especially … night … 〃
〃What is he talking about？〃 Arby said。
〃 … to … injury … can't … not long … please … 〃
And then there was a final； fading hiss。
And suddenly the phone went dead。
Thorne clicked off his own handset； and turned off the speakerphone。 He turned to the kids； who were both pale。 〃We have to find him；〃 he said。 〃Right away。〃
SECOND CONFIGURATION
〃Self…organization elaborates
