mc.prey-第44章

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　We　started　into　the　cave。　The　green　glow　had　vanished　in　the　thick　dust。　We　had　only　the　infrared　light　mounted　on　top　of　our　night…vision　goggles。　We　saw　no　figures。　We　heard　nothing　but　the　thumping　of　the　helicopter。　But　as　we　went　deeper　into　the　cave；　the　sound　began　to　fade。
　And　as　the　sound　faded；　so　did　the　wind。
　Mae　was　focused。　She　said；　〃Bobby？　Do　you　hear　me？〃
　〃Yes；　I　hear　you。〃
　〃Get　your　ass　in　here。〃
　〃I'm　trying　to…〃
　〃Don't　try。　Get　in　here；　Bobby。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　If　I　knew　Bobby　Lembeck；　he　was　never　ing　into　this　pit。　We　rounded　the　bend；　and　saw　nothing　but　suspended　dust；　the　vague　outlines　of　cave　walls。　The　walls　seemed　smooth　here；　with　no　place　to　hide。　Then　from　the　gloom　directly　ahead　I　saw　a　Ricky　figure　emerge。　He　was　expressionless；　just　walking　toward　us。　Then　another　figure　from　the　left；　and　another。　The　three　formed　a　line。　They　marched　toward　us　at　a　steady　pace；　their　faces　identical　and　expressionless。
　〃First　lesson；〃　Mae　said；　holding　out　the　thermite　cap。
　〃Let's　hope　they　don't　learn　it；〃　I　said；　and　I　lit　the　fuse。　It　sputtered　white…hot　sparks。　She　tossed　the　cap　forward。　It　landed　a　few　feet　in　front　of　the　advancing　group。　They　ignored　it；　staring　forward　at　us。
　Mae　said；　〃It's　a　three　count　。。。　two　。。。　one　。。。　and　turn　away。〃　I　twisted　away；　ducking　my　head　under　my　arm　just　as　a　sphere　of　blinding　white　filled　the　tunnel。　Even　though　my　eyes　were　closed；　the　glare　was　so　strong　that　I　saw　spots　when　I　opened　my　eyes　again。　I　turned　back。
　Mae　was　already　moving　forward。　The　dust　in　the　air　had　a　slightly　darker　tint。　I　saw　no　sign　of　the　three　figures。
　〃Did　they　run？〃
　〃No。　Vaporized；〃　she　said。　She　sounded　pleased。
　〃New　situations；〃　I　said。　I　was　feeling　encouraged。　If　the　programming　assumptions　still　held；　the　swarms　would　be　weak　when　reacting　to　genuinely　new　situations。　In　time　they　would　learn；　in　time　they　would　evolve　strategies　to　deal　with　the　new　conditions。　But　initially　their　response　would　be　disorganized；　chaotic。　That　was　a　weakness　of　distributed　intelligence。　It　was　powerful；　and　it　was　flexible；　but　it　was　slow　to　respond　to　unprecedented　events。　〃We　hope；〃　Mae　said。
　We　came　to　the　gaping　hole　in　the　cave　floor　she　had　described。　In　the　night　goggles；　I　saw　a　sort　of　sloping　ramp。　Four　or　five　figures　were　ing　up　toward　us；　and　there　seemed　to　be　more　behind。　They　all　looked　like　Ricky；　but　many　of　them　were　not　so　well　formed。　And　those　in　the　rear　were　just　swirling　clouds。　The　thrumming　sound　was　loud。　〃Second　lesson。〃　Mae　held　out　a　cap。　It　sizzled　white　when　I　lit　it。　She　rolled　it　gently　down　the　ramp。　The　figures　hesitated　when　they　saw　it。
　〃Damn；〃　I　said；　but　then　it　was　time　to　duck　away；　and　shield　my　eyes　from　the　explosive　flash。　Inside　the　confined　space；　there　was　a　roar　of　expanding　gas。　I　felt　a　burst　of　intense　heat　on　my　back。　When　I　looked　again；　most　of　the　swarms　beneath　us　had　vanished。　But　a　few　hung　back；　apparently　undamaged。
　They　were　learning。
　Fast。
　〃Next　lesson；〃　Mae　said；　holding　two　caps　this　time。　I　lit　both　and　she　rolled　one；　and　threw　the　second　one　deeper　down　the　ramp。　The　explosions　roared　simultaneously；　and　a　huge　gust　of　hot　air　rolled　upward　past　us。　My　shirt　caught　fire。　Mae　pounded　it　out　with　the　flat　of　her　hand；　smacking　me　with　rapid　strokes。
　When　we　looked　again；　there　were　no　figures　in　sight；　and　no　dark　swarms。
　We　went　down　the　ramp；　heading　deeper　into　the　cave。
　We　had　started　with　twenty　thermite　caps。　We　had　sixteen　left；　and　we　had　gone　only　a　short　distance　down　the　ramp　toward　the　large　room　at　the　bottom。　Mae　moved　quickly　now…I　had　to　hurry　to　catch　up　with　her…but　her　instincts　were　good。　The　few　swarms　that　materialized　before　us　all　quickly　backed　away　at　our　approach。
　We　were　herding　them　into　the　lower　room。
　Mae　said；　〃Bobby；　where　are　you？〃
　The　headset　crackled。　〃…trying…get…〃
　〃Bobby；　e　on；　damn　it。〃
　But　all　the　while　we　were　moving　deeper　into　the　cave；　and　soon　we　heard　only　static。　Down　here；　dust　hung　suspended　in　the　air；　diffusing　the　infrared　beams。　We　could　see　clearly　the　walls　and　ground　directly　ahead　of　us；　but　beyond　that；　there　was　total　blackness。　The　sense　of　darkness　and　isolation　was　frightening。　I　couldn't　tell　what　was　on　either　side　of　me　unless　I　turned　my　head；　sweeping　my　beam　back　and　forth。　I　began　to　smell　that　rotten　odor　again；　sharp　and　nauseating。
　We　were　ing　to　level　ground。　Mae　stayed　calm；　when　a　half…dozen　swarms　buzzed　before　us；　she　held　out　another　cap　for　me　to　light。　Before　I　could　light　the　fuse；　the　swarms　backed　off。　She　advanced　at　once。
　〃Sort　of　like　lion　taming；〃　she　said。
　〃So　far；〃　I　said。
　I　didn't　know　how　long　we　could　keep　this　up。　The　cave　was　large；　much　larger　than　I　had　imagined。　Sixteen　caps　didn't　seem　like　enough　to　get　us　through　it。　I　wondered　if　Mae　was　worried；　too。　She　didn't　seem　to　be。　But　probably　she　wouldn't　show　it。　Something　was　crunching　underfoot。　I　looked　down　and　saw　the　floor　was　carpeted　with　thousands　of　tiny；　delicate　yellow　bones。　Like　bird　bones。　Except　these　were　the　bones　of　bats。　Mae　was　right：　they'd　all　been　eaten。
　In　the　upper　corner　of　my　night…vision　image；　a　red　light　began　to　blink。　It　was　some　kind　of　warning；　probably　the　battery。　〃Mae　。。。〃　I　began。　Then　the　red　light　went　out；　as　abruptly　as　it　had　begun。
　〃What？〃　she　said。　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃Never　mind。〃
　And　then　at　last　we　came　to　the　large　central　chamber…except　there　was　no　central　chamber；　at　least；　not　anymore。　Now　the　huge　space　was　filled　from　floor　to　ceiling　with　an　array　of　dark　spheres；　about　two　feet　in　diameter；　and　bristling　with　spiky　protrusions。　They　looked　like　enormous　sea　urchins。　They　were　stacked　in　large　clusters。　The　arrangement　was　orderly。　Mae　said；　〃Is　this　what　I　think　it　is？〃　Her　voice　was　calm；　detached。　Almost　scholarly。　〃Yeah；　I　think　so；〃　I　said。　Unless　I　was　wrong；　these　spiked　clusters　were　an　organic　version　of　the　fabrication　plant　that　Xymos　had　built　on　the　surface。　〃This　is　how　they　reproduce。〃　I　moved　forward。
　〃I　don't　know　if　we　should　go　in　。。。〃　she　said。
　〃We　have　to；　Mae。　Look　at　it：　it's　ordered。〃
　〃You　think　there's　a　center？〃
　〃Maybe。〃　And　if　there　was；　I　wanted　to　drop　thermite　on　it。　I　continued　onward。　Moving　among　the　clusters　was　an　eerie　sensation。　Thick　mucuslike　liquid　dripped　from　the　tips　of　the　spikes。　And　the　spheres　seemed　to　be　coated　with　a　kind　of　thick　gel　that　quivered；　making　the　whole　cluster　seem　to　be　moving；　alive。　I　paused　to　look　more　closely。　Then　I　saw　that　the　surface　of　the　spheres　really　was　alive；　crawling　within　the　gel　were　masses　of　twisting　black　worms。　〃Jesus　。。。〃
　〃They　were　here　before；〃　she　said　calmly。
　〃What？〃
　〃The　worms。　They　were　living　in　the　layer　of　guano　on　the　cave　floor；　when　I　came　here　before。　They　eat　organic　material　and　excrete　high…content　phosphorus　pounds。〃
　〃And　now　they're　involved　in　swarm　synthesis；〃　I　said。　〃That　didn't　take　long；　just　a　few　days。　Coevolution　in　action。　The　spheres　probably　provide　food；　and　collect　their　excretions　in　some　way。〃
　〃Or　collect　them；〃　Mae　said　dryly。
　〃Yeah。　Maybe。〃　It　wasn't　inconceivable。　Ants　raised　aphids　the　way　we　raised　cows。　Other　insects　grew　fungus　in　gardens　for　food。
　We　moved　deeper　into　the　room。　The　swarms　swirled　on　all　sides　of　us；　but　they　kept　their　distance。　Probably　another　unprecedented　event；　I　thought：　intruders　in　the　nest。　They　hadn't　decided　what　to　do。　I　moved　carefully；　the　floor　was　now　increasingly　slippery　in　spots。　There　was　a　kind　of　thick　muck　on　the　ground。　In　a　few　places　it　glowed　streaky　green。　The　streaks　seemed　to　go　inward；　toward　the　center。　I　had　the　sense　that　the　floor　sloped　gently　downward。　〃How　much　farther？〃　Mae　said。　She　still　sounded　calm；　but　I　didn't　think　she　was。　I　wasn't　either；　when　I　looked　back　I　could　no　longer　see　the　entrance　to　the　chamber；　hidden　behind　the　clusters。
　And　then　suddenly　we　reached　the　center　of　the　room；　because　the　clusters　ended　in　an　open　space；　and　directly　ahead　I　saw　what　looked　like　a　miniature　version　of　the　mound　outside。　It　was　a　mound　about　four　feet　high；　perfectly　circular；　with　flat　vanes　extending　outward　on　all　sides。　It　too　was　streaked　with　green。　Pale　smoke　was　ing　off　the　vanes。　We　moved　closer。
　〃It's　hot；〃　she　said。　And　it　was。　The　heat　was　intense；　that's　why　it　was　smoking。　She　said；　〃What　do　you　think　is　in　there？〃
　I　looked　at　the　floor。　I　could　see　now　that　the　streaks　of　green　were　running　from　the　clusters　down　to　this　central　mound。　I　said；　〃Assemblers。〃　The　spiky　urchins　generated　raw　organic　material。　It　flowed　to　the　center；　where　the　assemblers　churned　out　the　final　molecules。　This　is　where　the　final　assembly　occurred。
　〃Then　this　is　the　heart；〃　Mae　said。
　〃Yeah。　You　could　say。〃
　The　swarms　were　all　around　us；　hanging　back　by　the　clusters。　Apparently；　they　wouldn't　e　into　the　center。　But　they　were　everywhere　around　us；　waiting　for　us。　〃How　many　you　want？〃　she　said　quietly；　taking　the　thermite　from　her　pack。
　I　looked　around　at　all　the　swarms。
　〃Five　here；〃　I　said。　〃We'll　need　the　rest　to　get　out。〃
　〃We　can't　light　five　at　once　。。。〃
　〃It's　all　right。〃　I　held　out　my　hand。　〃Give　them　to　me。〃
　〃But；　Jack　。。。〃
　〃e　on；　Mae。〃
　She　gave　me　five　capsules。　I　moved　closer　and　tossed　them；　unlit；　into　the　central　mound。　The　surrounding　swarms　buzzed；　but　still　did　not　approach　us。
　〃Okay；〃　she　said。　She　understood　immediately　what　I　was　doing。　She　was　already　taking　out　more　capsules。
　〃Now　four；〃　I　said；　looking　back　at　the　swarms。　They　were　restless；　moving　back　and　forth。　I　didn't　know　how　long　they　would　stay　there。　〃Three　for　you；　one　for　me。　You　do　the　swarms。〃
　〃Right　。。。〃　She　gave　me　one　capsule。　I　lit　the　others　for　her。　She　threw　them　back　in　the　direction　we　had　e。　The　swarms　danced　away。
　She　counted：　〃Three　。。。　two　。。。　one　。。。　now！〃
　We　crouched；　ducked　away　from　the　harsh　blast　of　light。　I　heard　a　cracking　sound；　when　I　looked　again；　some　of　the　clusters　were　breaking　up；　falling　apart。　Spikes　were　rolling　on　the　ground。　Without　hesitating；　I　lit　the　next　capsule；　and　as　it　spit　white　sparks；　I　tossed　it　into　the　central　mound。
　〃Let's　go！〃
　We　ran　for　the　entrance。　The　clusters　were　crumbling　in　front　of　us。　Mae　leapt　easily　over　the　falling　spikes；　and　kept　going。　I　followed　her；　counting　in　my　mind　。。。　three　。。。　two　。。。　one　。。。
　Now。
　There　was　a　kind　of　high…pitched　shriek；　and　then　a　terrific　blast　of　hot　gas；　a　booming　detonation　and　stabbing　pain　in　my　ears。　The　shock　wave　knocked　me　flat　on　the　ground；　sent　me　skidding　forward　in　the　sludge。　I　felt　the　spikes　sticking　in　my　skin　all　over　my　body。　My　goggles　were　knocked　away；　and　I　was　surrounded　by　blackness。　Blackness。　I　could　see　nothing　at　all。　I　wiped　the　sludge　from　my　face。　I　tried　to　get　to　my　feet；　slipped　and　fell。　〃Mae；〃　I　said。　〃Mae　。。。〃
　〃There　was　an　explosion；〃　she　said；　in　a　surprised　voice。
　〃Mae；　where　are　you？　I　can't　see。〃
　Everything　was　pitch　black。　I　could　see　nothing　at　all。　I　was　deep　in　some　damn　cave　full　of　spiky　things　and　I　couldn't　see。　I　fought　panic。
　〃It's　all　right；〃　Mae　said。　In　the　darkness　I　felt　her　hand　gripping　my　arm。　Apparently　she　could　see　me。　She　s