mc.theandromedastrein-第17章

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a；　sometimes　producing　as　much　as　thirty　quarts　of　fluid　a　day。　Men　knew　this；　but　they　somehow　assumed　that　the　lethal　effects　of　the　disease　were　unrelated　to　the　diarrhea；　they　searched　for　something　else：　an　antidote；　a　drug；　a　way　to　kill　the　organism。　It　was　not　until　modern　times　that　cholera　was　recognized　as　a　disease　that　killed　through　dehydration　primarily；　if　you　could　replace　a　victim's　water　losses　rapidly；　he　would　survive　the　infection　without　other　drugs　or　treatment。
　
　　　Cure　the　symptoms；　cure　the　disease。
　
　　　But　Leavitt　wondered　about　the　Scoop　organism。　Could　they　cure　the　disease　by　treating　the　blood　clotting？　Or　was　the　clotting　secondary　to　some　more　serious；　disorder？
　
　　　There　was　also　another　concern；　a　nagging　fear　that　had　bothered　him　since　the　earliest　planning　stages　of　Wildfire。　In　those　early　meetings；　Leavitt　had　argued　that　the　Wildfire　team　might　be　mitting　extraterrestrial　murder。
　
　　　Leavitt　had　pointed　out　that　all　men；　no　matter　how　scientifically　objective；　had　several　built…in　biases　when　discussing　life。　One　was　the　assumption　that　plex　life　was　larger　than　simple　life。　It　was　certainly　true　on　the　earth。　As　organisms　became　more　intelligent；　they　grew　larger；　passing　from　the　single…celled　stage　to　multicellular　creatures；　and　then　to　larger　animals　with　differentiated　cells　working　in　groups　called　organs。　On　earth；　the　trend　had　been　toward　larger　and　more　plex　animals。
　
　　　But　this　might　not　be　true　elsewhere　in　the　universe。　In　other　places；　life　might　progress　in　the　opposite　direction　toward　smaller　and　smaller　forms。　Just　as　modern　human　technology　had　learned　to　make　things　smaller；　perhaps　highly　advanced　evolutionary　pressures　led　to　smaller　life　forms。　There　were　distinct　advantages　to　smaller　forms：　less　consumption　of　raw　materials；　cheaper　spaceflight；　fewer　feeding　problems。。。
　
　　　Perhaps　the　most　intelligent　life　form　on　a　distant　planet　was　no　larger　than　a　flea。　Perhaps　no　larger　than　a　bacterium。　In　that　case；　the　Wildfire　Project　might　be　mitted　to　destroying　a　highly　developed　life　form；　without　ever　realizing　what　it　was　doing。
　
　　　This　concept　was　not　unique　to　Leavitt。　It　had　been　proposed　by　Merton　at　Harvard；　and　by　Chalmers　at　Oxford。　Chalmers；　a　man　with　a　keen　sense　of　humor；　had　used　the　example　of　a　man　looking　down　on　a　microscope　slide　and　see　in　the　bacteria　formed　into　the　words　〃Take　us　to　your　leader。〃　Everyone　thought　Chalmers's　idea　highly　amusing。
　
　　　Yet　Leavitt　could　not　get　it　out　of　his　mind。　Because　it　just　might　turn　out　to　be　true。
　
　　　***
　
　　　Before　he　fell　asleep；　Stone　thought　about　the　conference　ing　up。　And　the　business　of　the　meteorite。　He　wondered　what　Nagy　would　say；　or　Karp；　if　they　knew　about　the　meteorite。
　
　　　Probably；　he　thought；　it　would　drive　them　insane。　Probably　it　will　drive　us　all　insane。
　
　　　And　then　he　slept。
　
　　　***
　
　　　Delta　sector　was　the　designation　of　three　rooms　on　Level　I　that　contained　all　munications　facilities　for　the　Wildfire　installation。　All　inter　and　visual　circuits　between　levels　were　routed　through　there；　as　were　cables　for　telephone　and　teletype　from　the　outside。　The　trunk　lines　to　the　library　and　the　central　storage　unit　were　also　regulated　by　delta　sector。
　
　　　In　essence　it　functioned　as　a　giant　switchboard；　fully　puterized。　The　three　rooms　of　delta　sector　were　quiet；　all　that　could　be　heard　was　the　soft　hum　of　spinning　tape　drums　and　the　muted　clicking　of　relays。　Only　one　person　worked　here；　a　single　man　sitting　at　a　console；　surrounded　by　the　blinking　lights　of　the　puter。
　
　　　There　was　no　real　reason　for　the　man　to　be　there；　he　performed　no　necessary　function。　The　puters　were　self…regulating；　constructed　to　run　check　patterns　through　their　circuits　every　twelve　minutes；　the　puters　shut　down　automatically　if　there　was　an　abnormal　reading。
　
　　　According　to　protocol；　the　man　was　required　to　monitor　MCN　munications；　which　were　signaled　by　the　ringing　of　a　bell　on　the　teleprinter。　When　the　bell　rang；　he　notified　the　five　level　mand　centers　that　the　transmission　was　received。　He　was　also　required　to　report　any　puter　dysfunction　to　Level　I　mand；　should　that　unlikely　event　occur。
　
　
　　　DAY　3
　
　　　Wildfire
　
　　　12。　The　Conference
　
　　　
　　　〃TIME　TO　WAKE　UP；　SIR。〃
　
　　　Mark　Hall　opened　his　eyes。　The　room　was　lit　with　a　steady；　pale　fluorescent　light。　He　blinked　and　rolled　over　on　his　stomach。
　
　　　〃Time　to　wake　up；　Sir。〃
　
　　　It　was　a　beautiful　female　voice；　soft　and　seductive。　He　sat　up　in　bed　and　looked　around　the　room：　he　was　alone。
　
　　　〃Hello？〃
　　　〃Time　to　wake　up；　Sir。〃
　　　〃Who　are　you？〃
　　　〃Time　to　wake　up；　Sir。〃
　
　　　He　reached　over　and　pushed　a　button　on　the　nightstand　by　his　bed。　A　light　went　off。　He　waited　for　the　voice　again；　but　it　did　not　speak。
　
　　　It　was；　he　thought；　a　hell　of　an　effective　way　to　wake　a　man　up。　As　he　slipped　into　his　clothes；　he　wondered　how　it　worked。　It　was　not　a　simple　tape；　because　it　worked　as　a　response　of　some　sort。　The　message　was　repeated　only　when　Hall　spoke。
　
　　　To　test　his　theory；　he　pushed　the　nightstand　button　again。　The　voice　said　softly；　〃Do　you　wish　something；　Sir？〃
　
　　　〃I'd　like　to　know　your　name；　please。〃
　　　〃Will　that　be　all；　Sir？〃
　　　〃Yes；　I　believe　so。〃
　　　〃Will　that　be　all；　Sir？〃
　
　　　He　waited。　The　light　clicked　off。　He　slipped　into　his　shoes　and　was　about　to　leave　when　a　male　voice　said；　〃This　is　the　answering…service　supervisor；　Dr。　Hall。　I　wish　you　would　treat　the　project　more　seriously。〃
　
　　　Hall　laughed。　So　the　voice　responded　to　ments；　and　taped　his　replies。　It　was　a　clever　system。
　
　　　〃Sorry；〃　he　said；　〃I　wasn't　sure　how　the　thing　worked。　The　voice　is　quite　luscious。〃
　　　〃The　voice；〃　said　the　supervisor　heavily；　〃belongs　to　Miss　Gladys　Stevens；　who　is　sixty…three　years　old。　She　lives　in　Omaha　and　makes　her　living　taping　messages　for　SAC　crews　and　other　voice…reminder　systems。〃
　　　〃Oh；〃　Hall　said。
　
　　　He　left　the　room　and　walked　down　the　corridor　to　the　cafeteria。　As　he　walked；　he　began　to　understand　why　submarine　designers　had　been　called　in　to　plan　Wildfire。　Without　his　wristwatch；　he　had　no　idea　of　the　time；　or　even　whether　it　was　night　or　day。　He　found　himself　wondering　whether　the　cafeteria　would　be　crowded；　wondering　whether　it　was　dinner　time　or　breakfast　time。
　
　　　As　it　turned　out；　the　cafeteria　was　almost　deserted。　Leavitt　was　there；　he　said　the　others　were　in　the　conference　room。　He　pushed　a　glass　of　dark…brown　liquid　over　to　Hall　and　suggested　he　have　breakfast。
　
　　　〃What's　this？〃　Hall　said。
　　　〃Forty…two…five　nutrient。　It　has　everything　needed　to　sustain　the　average　seventy…kilogram　man　for　eighteen　hours。〃
　
　　　Hall　drank　the　liquid；　which　was　syrupy　and　artificially　flavored　to　taste　like　orange　juice。　It　was　a　strange　sensation；　drinking　brown　orange　juice；　but　not　bad　after　the　initial　shock。　Leavitt　explained　that　it　had　been　developed　for　the　astronauts；　and　that　it　contained　everything　except　air…soluble　vitamins。
　
　　　〃For　that；　you　need　this　pill；〃　he　said。
　　　Hall　swallowed　the　pill；　then　got　himself　a　cup　of　coffee　from　a　dispenser　in　the　corner。　〃Any　sugar？〃
　
　　　Leavitt　shook　his　head。　〃No　sugar　anywhere　here。　Nothing　that　might　provide　a　bacterial　growth　medium。　From　now　on；　we're　all　on　high…protein　diets。　We'll　make　all　the　sugar　we　need　from　the　protein　breakdown。　But　we　won't　be　getting　any　sugar　into　the　gut。　Quite　the　opposite。〃
　
　　　He　reached　into　his　pocket。
　
　　　〃Oh；　no。〃
　　　〃Yes；〃　Leavitt　said。　He　gave　him　a　small　capsule；　sealed　in　aluminum　foil。
　　　〃No；〃　Hall　said。
　　　〃Everyone　else　has　them。　Broad…spectrum。　Stop　by　your　room　and　insert　it　before　you　go　into　the　final　decontamination　procedures。〃　
　　　〃I　don't　mind　dunking　myself　in　all　those　foul　baths；〃　Hall　said。　〃I　don't　mind　being　irradiated。　But　I'll　be　goddammed〃
　　　〃The　idea；〃　Leavitt　said；　〃is　that　you　be　as　nearly　sterile　as　possible　on　Level　V。　We　have　sterilized　your　skin　and　mucous　membranes　of　the　respiratory　tract　as　best　we　can。　But　we　haven't　done　a　thing　about　the　GI　tract　yet。〃
　　　〃Yes；〃　Hall　said；　〃but　suppositories？〃
　　　〃You'll　get　used　to　it。　We're　all　taking　them　for　the　first　four　days。　Not；　of　course；　that　they'll　do　any　good；〃　he　said；　with　the　familiar　wry；　pessimistic　look　on　his　face。　He　stood。　〃Let's　go　to　the　conference　room。　Stone　wants　to　talk　about　Karp。〃
　　　〃Who？〃
　　　〃Rudolph　Karp。〃
　
　　　***
　
　　　Rudolph　Karp　was　a　Hungarian…born　biochemist　who　came　to　the　United　States　from　England　in　1951。　He　obtained　a　position　at　the　University　of　Michigan　and　worked　steadily　and　quietly　for　five　years。　Then；　at　the　suggestion　of　colleagues　at　the　Ann　Arbor　observatory；　Karp　began　to　investigate　meteorites　with　the　intent　of　determining　whether　they　harbored　life；　or　showed　evidence　of　having　done　so　in　the　past。　He　took　the　proposal　quite　seriously　and　worked　with　diligence；　writing　no　papers　on　the　subject　until　the　early　1960's；　when　Calvin　and　Vaughn　and　Nagy　and　others　were　writing　explosive　papers　on　similar　subjects。
　
　　　The　arguments　and　counter…arguments　were　plex；　but　boiled　down　to　a　simple　substrate：　whenever　a　worker　would　announce　that　he　had　found　a　fossil；　or　a　proteinaceous　hydrocarbon；　or　other　indication　of　life　within　a　meteorite；　the　critics　would　claim　sloppy　lab　technique　and　contamination　with　earth…origin　matter　and　organisms。
　
　　　Karp；　with　his　careful；　slow　techniques；　was　determined　to　end　the　arguments　once　and　for　all。　He　announced　that　he　had　taken　great　pains　to　avoid　contamination：　each　meteorite　he　examined　had　been　washed　in　twelve　solutions；　including　peroxide；　iodine；　hypertonic　saline　and　dilute　acids。　It　was　then　exposed　to　intense　ultraviolet　light　for　a　period　of　two　days。　Finally；　it　was　submerged　in　a　germicidal　solution　and　placed　in　a　germ…free；　sterile　isolation　chamber；　further　work　was　done　within　the　chamber。
　
　　　Karp；　upon　breaking　open　his　meteorites；　was　able　to　isolate　bacteria。　He　found　that　they　were　ring…shaped　organisms；　rather　like　a　tiny　undulating　inner　tube；　and　he　found　they　could　grow　and　multiply。　He　claimed　that；　while　they　were　essentially　similar　to　earthly　bacteria　in　structure；　being　based　upon　proteins；　carbohydrates；　and　lipids；　they　had　no　cell　nucleus　and　therefore　their　manner　of　propagation　was　a　mystery。
　
　　　Karp　presented　his　information　in　his　usual　quiet；　unsensational　manner；　and　hoped　for　a　good　reception。　He　did　not　receive　one；　instead；　he　was　laughed　down　by　the　Seventh　Conference　of　Astrophysics　and　Geophysics；　meeting　in　London　in　1961。　He　became　discouraged　and　set　his　work　with　meteorites　aside；　the　organisms　were　later　destroyed　in　an　accidental　laboratory　explosion　on　the　night　of　June　27；　1963。
　
　　　Karp's　experience　was　almost　identical　to　that　of　Nagy　and　the　others。　Scientists　in　the　1960's　were　not　willing　to　entertain　notions　of　life　existing　in　meteorites；　all　evidence　presented　was　discounted；　dismissed；　and　ignored。
　
　　　A　handful　of　people　in　a　dozen　countries　remained　intrigued；　however。　One　of　them　was　Jeremy　Stone；　another　was　Peter　Leavitt。　It　was　Leavitt　who；　some　years　before；　had　formulat