mc.theandromedastrein-第16章

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ult　to　sterilize；　usually　they　are　plastic　and　high…heat　sterilization　melts　them。〃
　
　　　The　four　men　passed　through　the　door；　which　clanged　shut　heavily　and　sealed　with　a　hissing　sound。　It　was　airtight。　Hall　faced　a　tiled　room；　empty　except　for　a　hamper　marked　I　'clothing。〃　He　unzipped　his　jumpsuit　and　dropped　it　into　the　hamper；　there　was　a　brief　flash　of　light　as　it　was　incinerated。
　
　　　Then；　looking　back；　he　saw　that　on　the　door　through　which　he　had　e　was　a　sign：　〃Return　to　Level　I　is　NOT　Possible　Through　this　Access。〃
　
　　　He　shrugged。　The　other　men　were　already　moving　through　the　second　door；　marked　simply　EXIT。　He　followed　them　and　stepped　into　clouds　of　steam。　The　odor　was　peculiar；　a　faint　woodsy　smell　that　he　guessed　was　scented　disinfectant。　He　sat　down　on　a　bench　and　relaxed；　allowing　the　steam　to　envelop　him。　It　was　easy　enough　to　understand　the　purpose　of　the　steam　room：　the　heat　opened　the　pores；　and　the　steam　would　be　inhaled　into　the　lungs。
　
　　　The　four　men　waited；　saying　little；　until　their　bodies　were　coated　with　a　sheen　of　moisture；　and　then　walked　into　the　next　room。
　
　　　Leavitt　said　to　Hall；　〃What　do　you　think　of　this？〃
　　　〃It's　like　a　goddam　Roman　bath；〃　Hall　said。
　
　　　The　next　room　contained　a　shallow　tub　（〃Immerse　Feet　ONLY〃）　and　a　shower。　（〃Do　not　swallow　shower　solution。　Avoid　undue　exposure　to　eyes　and　mucous　membranes。〃）　It　was　all　very　intimidating。　He　tried　to　guess　what　the　solutions　were　by　smell；　but　failed；　the　shower　was　slippery；　though；　which　meant　it　was　alkaline。　He　asked　Leavitt　about　this；　and　Leavitt　said　the　solution　was　alpha　chlorophin　at　pH　7。7。　Leavitt　said　that　whenever　possible；　acidic　and　alkaline　solutions　were　alternated。
　
　　　〃When　you　think　about　it；〃　Leavitt　said；　〃we've　faced　up　to　quite　a　planning　problem　here。　How　to　disinfect　the　human　body　one　of　the　dirtiest　things　in　the　known　universe　without　killing　the　person　at　the　same　time。　Interesting。
　
　　　He　wandered　off。　Dripping　wet　from　the　shower；　Hall　looked　around　for　a　towel　but　found　none。　He　entered　the　next　room　and　blowers　turned　on　from　the　ceiling　in　a　rush　of　hot　air。　From　the　sides　of　the　room；　UV　lights　clicked　on；　bathing　the　room　in　an　intense　purple　light。　He　stood　there　until　a　buzzer　sounded；　and　the　dryers　turned　off。　His　skin　tingled　slightly　as　he　entered　the　last　room；　which　contained　clothing。　They　were　not　jumpsuits；　but　rather　like　surgical　uniforms　light…yellow；　a　loose…fitting　top　with　a　V…neck　and　short　sleeves；　elastic　banded　pants；　low　rubber…soled　shoes；　quite　fortable；　like　ballet　slippers。
　
　　　The　cloth　was　soft；　some　kind　of　synthetic。　He　dressed　and　stepped　with　the　others　through　a　door　marked　EXIT　TO　LEVEL　II。　He　entered　the　elevator　and　waited　as　it　descended。
　
　　　Hall　emerged　to　find　himself　in　a　corridor。　The　was　here　were　painted　yellow；　not　red　as　they　had　been　on　Level　I。　The　people　wore　yellow　uniforms。　A　nurse　by　the　elevator　said；　〃The　time　is　2：47　p。m。；　gentlemen。　You　may　continue　your　descent　in　one　hour。〃　
　
　　　They　went　to　a　small　room　marked　INTERIM　CONFINEMENT。　It　contained　a　half…dozen　couches　with　plastic　disposable　covers　over　them。
　
　　　Stone　said；　〃Better　relax。　Sleep　if　you　can。　We'll　need　all　the　rest　we　can　get　before　Level　V。　〃　He　walked　over　to　Hall。　〃How　did　you　find　the　decontamination　procedure？〃
　　　〃Interesting；〃　Hall　said。　〃You　could　sell　it　to　the　Swedes　and　make　a　fortune。　But　somehow　I　expected　something　more　rigorous。〃　
　　　〃Just　wait；〃　Stone　said。　〃It　gets　tougher　as　you　go。　Physicals　on　Levels　III　and　IV。　Afterward　there　will　be　a　brief　conference。〃　
　
　　　Then　Stone　lay　down　on　one　of　the　couches　and　fell　instantly　asleep。　It　was　a　trick　he　had　learned　years　before；　when　he　had　been　conducting　experiments　around　the　clock。　He　learned　to　squeeze　in　an　hour　here；　two　hours　there。　He　found　it　useful。
　
　　　***
　
　　　The　second　decontamination　procedure　was　similar　to　the　first。　Hall's　yellow　clothing；　though　he　had　worn　it　just　an　hour；　was　incinerated。
　
　　　〃Isn't　that　rather　wasteful？〃　he　asked　Burton。
　　　Burton　shrugged。　〃It's　paper。〃
　　　〃Paper？　That　cloth？〃
　　　Burton　shook　his　head。　〃Not　cloth。　Paper。　New　process。〃
　
　　　They　stepped　into　the　first　total…immersion　pool。　Instructions　on　the　wall　told　Hall　to　keep　his　eyes　open　under　water。　Total　immersion；　he　soon　discovered；　was　guaranteed　by　the　simple　device　of　making　the　connection　between　the　first　room　and　the　second　an　underwater　passage。　Swimming　through；　he　felt　a　slight　burning　of　his　eyes；　but　nothing　bad。
　
　　　The　second　room　contained　a　row　of　six　boxes；　glass…walled；　looking　rather　like　telephone　booths。　Hall　approached　one　and　saw　a　sign　that　said；　〃Enter　and　close　both　eyes。　Hold　arms　slightly　away　from　body　and　stand　with　feet　one　foot　apart。　Do　not　open　eyes　until　buzzer　sounds。　BLINDNESS　MAY　RESULT　FROM　EXPOSURE　TO　LONG…WAVE　RADIATION。〃　
　
　　　He　followed　the　directions　and　felt　a　kind　of　cold　heat　on　his　body。　It　lasted　perhaps　five　minutes；　and　then　he　heard　the　buzzer　and　opened　his　eyes。　His　body　was　dry。　He　followed　the　others　to　a　corridor；　consisting　of　four　showers。　Walking　down　the　corridor；　he　passed　beneath　each　shower　in　turn。　At　the　end；　he　found　blowers；　which　dried　him；　and　then　clothing。　This　time　the　clothing　was　white。
　
　　　They　dressed；　and　took　the　elevator　down　to　Level　III。
　
　　　***
　
　　　There　were　four　nurses　waiting　for　them；　one　took　Hall　to　an　examining　room。　It　turned　out　to　be　a　two…hour　physical　examination；　given　not　by　a　machine　but　by　a　blank…faced；　thorough　young　man。　Hall　was　annoyed；　and　thought　to　himself　that　he　preferred　the　machine。
　
　　　The　doctor　did　everything；　including　a　plete　history　birth；　education；　travel；　family　history；　past　hospitalizations　and　illnesses。　And　an　equally　plete　physical。　Hall　became　angry；　it　was　all　so　damned　unnecessary。　But　the　doctor　shrugged　and　kept　saying；　〃It's　routine。〃
　
　　　After　two　hours；　he　rejoined　the　others；　and　proceeded　to　Level　IV。
　
　　　***
　
　　　Four　total…immersion　baths；　three　sequences　of　ultraviolet　and　infrared　light；　two　of　ultrasonic　vibrations；　and　then　something　quite　astonishing　at　the　end。　A　steel…walled　cubicle；　with　a　helmet　on　a　peg。　The　sign　said；　〃This　is　an　ultraflash　apparatus。　To　protect　head　and　facial　hair；　place　metal　helmet　securely　on　head；　then　press　button　below。〃　
　
　　　Hall　had　never　heard　of　ultraflash；　and　he　followed　directions；　not　knowing　what　to　expect。　He　placed　the　helmet　over　his　head；　then　pressed　the　button。
　
　　　There　was　a　single；　brief；　dazzling　burst　of　white　light；　followed　by　a　wave　of　heat　that　filled　the　cubicle。　He　felt　a　moment　of　pain；　so　swift　he　hardly　recognized　it　until　it　was　over。　Cautiously；　he　removed　the　helmet　and　looked　at　his　body。　His　skin　was　covered　with　a　fine；　white　ash　and　then　he　realized　that　the　ash　was　his　skin；　or　had　been：　the　machine　had　burned　away　the　outer　epithelial　layers。　He　proceeded　to　a　shower　and　washed　the　ash　off。　When　he　finally　reached　the　dressing　room；　he　found　green　uniforms。
　
　　　***
　
　　　Another　physical。　This　time　they　wanted　samples　of　everything：　sputum；　oral　epithelium；　blood；　urine；　stool。　He　submitted　passively　to　the　tests；　examinations；　questions。　He　was　tired；　and　was　beginning　to　feel　disoriented。　The　repetitions；　the　new　experiences；　the　colors　on　the　walls；　the　same　bland　artificial　light。。。
　
　　　Finally；　he　was　brought　back　to　Stone　and　the　others。　Stone　said；　〃We　have　six　hours　on　this　level　that's　protocol；　waiting　while　they　do　the　lab　tests　on　us　so　we　might　as　well　sleep。　Down　the　corridor　are　rooms；　marked　with　your　names。　Further　down　is　the　cafeteria。　We'll　meet　there　in　five　hours　for　a　conference。　Right？〃
　
　　　Hall　found　his　room；　marked　with　a　plastic　door　tag。　He　entered；　surprised　to　find　it　quite　large。　He　had　been　expecting　something　the　size　of　a　Pullman　cubicle；　but　this　was　bigger　and　better…furnished。　There　was　a　bed；　a　chair；　a　small　desk；　and　a　puter　console　with　built…in　TV　set。　He　was　curious　about　the　puter；　but　also　very　tired。　He　lay　down　on　the　bed　and　fell　asleep　quickly。
　
　　　***
　
　　　Burton　could　not　sleep。　He　lay　in　his　bed　on　Level　IV　and　stared　at　the　ceiling；　thinking。　He　could　not　get　the　image　of　that　town　out　of　his　mind；　or　those　bodies；　lying　in　the　street　without　bleeding。。。
　
　　　Burton　was　not　a　hematologist；　but　his　work　had　involved　some　blood　studies。　He　knew　that　a　variety　of　bacteria　had　effects　on　blood。　His　own　research　with　staphylococcus；　for　example；　had　shown　that　this　organism　produced　two　enzymes　that　altered　blood。
　
　　　One　was　the　so…called　exotoxin；　which　destroyed　skin　and　dissolved　red　cells。　Another　was　a　coagulase；　which　coated　the　bacteria　with　protein　to　inhibit　destruction　by　white　cells。
　
　　　So　it　was　possible　that　bacteria　could　alter　blood。　And　it　could　do　it　many　different　ways：　strep　produced　an　enzyme；　streptokinase；　that　dissolved　coagulated　plasma。　Clostridia　and　pneumococci　produced　a　variety　of　hemolysins　that　destroyed　red　cells。　Malaria　and　amebae　also　destroyed　red　cells；　by　digesting　them　as　food。　Other　parasites　did　the　same　thing。
　
　　　So　it　was　possible。
　
　　　But　it　didn't　help　them　in　finding　out　how　the　Scoop　organism　worked。
　
　　　Burton　tried　to　recall　the　sequence　for　blood　clotting。　He　remembered　that　it　operated　like　a　kind　of　waterfall：　one　enzyme　was　set　off；　and　activated；　which　acted　on　a　second　enzyme；　which　acted　on　a　third；　the　third　on　a　fourth；　and　so　on；　down　through　twelve　or　thirteen　steps；　until　finally　blood　clotted。
　
　　　And　vaguely　he　remembered　the　rest；　the　details：　all　the　intermediate　steps；　the　necessary　enzymes；　the　metals；　ions；　local　factors。　It　was　horribly　plex。
　
　　　He　shook　his　head　and　tried　to　sleep。
　
　　　***
　
　　　Leavitt；　the　clinical　microbiologist；　was　thinking　through　the　steps　in　isolation　and　identification　of　the　causative　organism。　He　had　been　over　it　before；　he　was　one　of　die　original　founders　of　the　group；　one　of　the　men　who　developed　the　Life　Analysis　Protocol。　But　now；　on　the　verge　of　putting　that　plan　into　effect；　he　had　doubts。
　
　　　Two　years　before；　sitting　around　after　lunch；　talking　speculatively；　it　had　all　seemed　wonderful。　It　had　been　an　amusing　intellectual　game　then；　a　kind　of　abstract　test　of　wits。　But　now；　faced　with　a　real　agent　that　caused　real　and　bizarre　death；　he　wondered　whether　all　their　plans　would　prove　to　be　so　effective　and　so　plete　as　they　once　thought。
　
　　　The　first　steps　were　simple　enough。　They　would　examine　the　capsule　minutely　and　culture　everything　onto　growth　media。　They　would　be　hoping　like　hell　to　e　up　with　an　organism　that　they　could　work　with；　experiment　on；　and　identify。
　
　　　And　after　that；　attempt　to　find　out　how　it　attacked。　There　was　already　the　suggestion　that　it　killed　by　clotting　the　blood；　if　that　turned　out　to　be　the　case；　they　had　a　good　start；　but　if　not；　they　might　waste　valuable　time　following　it　up。
　
　　　The　example　of　cholera　came　to　mind。　For　centuries；　men　had　known　that　cholera　was　a　fatal　disease；　and　that　it　caused　severe　diarrhea；　sometimes　producing　as　much　as　thirty　quarts　of　fluid　a　day。　Men　knew　this；　but　they　somehow　assu