小说园

第12部分（第3页）

〃Arent　we　forgetting　something？〃　Beth　said。　〃Where　is　everybody？　If　people　flew　this　thing　in　either　time　or　space；　where　are　they？〃

〃Probably　somewhere　else　on　the　ship。〃

〃Im　not　so　sure；〃　Harry　said。　〃Look　at　this　leather　on　these　seats。　Its　brand…new。〃

〃Maybe　it　was　a　new　ship。〃

＇＇78＇＇　〃No；　I　mean　really　brand…new。　This　leather　doesnt　show　any　scratches；　any　cuts；　any　coffee…cup　spills　or　stains。　There　is　nothing　to　suggest　that　these　seats　have　ever　been　sat　in。〃　〃Maybe　there　wasnt　any　crew。〃

〃Why　would　you　have　seats　if　there　wasnt　any　crew？〃

〃Maybe　they　took　the　crew　out　at　the　last　minute。　It　seems　they　were　worried　about　radiation。　The　inner　hulls　leadshielded；　too。〃

〃Why　should　there　be　radiation　associated　with　time　travel？〃

〃I　know；〃　Ted　said。　〃Maybe　the　ship　got　launched　by　accident。　Maybe　the　ship　was　on　the　launch　pad　and　somebody　pressed　the　button　before　the　crew　got　aboard　so　the　ship　took　off　empty。〃

〃You　mean；　oops；　wrong　button？〃

〃Thatd　be　a　hell　of　a　mistake；〃　Norman　said。

Barnes　shook　his　head。　〃Im　not　buying　it。　For　one　thing；　a　ship　this　big　could　never　be　launched　from　Earth。　It　had　to　be　built　and　assembled　in　orbit；　and　launched　from　space。〃

〃What　do　you　make　of　this？〃　Beth　said；　pointing　to　another　console　near　the　rear　of　the　flight　deck。　There　was　a　fourth　chair；　drawn　up　close　to　the　console。

The　leather　was　wrapped　around　a　human　form。

〃No　kidding。。。〃

〃Theres　a　man　in　there？〃

〃Lets　have　a　look。〃　Beth　pushed　the　armrest　buttons。　The　chair　whirred　back　from　the　console　and　unwrapped　itself。　They　saw　a　man；　staring　forward；　his　eyes　open。

〃My　God；　after　all　these　years；　perfectly　preserved；〃　Ted　said。

〃You　would　expect　that；〃　Harry　said。　〃Considering　hes　a　mannequin。〃

〃But　hes　so　lifelike…〃

〃Give　our　descendants　some　credit　for　advances；〃　Harry　said。　〃Theyre　half　a　century　ahead　of　us。〃　He　pushed　the　mannequin　forward；　exposing　an　umbilicus　running　out　the　back；　at　the　base　of　the　hips。

〃Wires　。。。〃

〃Not　wires；〃　Ted　said。　〃Glass。　Optical　cables。　This　whole　＇＇79＇＇　ship　uses　optical　technology；　and　not　electronics。〃

〃In　any　case；　its　one　mystery　solved；〃　Harry　said；　looking　at　the　dummy。　〃Obviously　this　craft　was　built　to　be　a　manned　ship；　but　it　was　sent　out　unmanned。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Probably　the　intended　voyage　was　too　dangerous。　They　sent　an　unmanned　vessel　first；　before　they　sent　a　manned　vessel。〃

Beth　said；　〃And　where　did　they　send　it？〃

〃With　time　travel；　you　dont　send　it　to　a　where。　You　send　it　to　a　when。〃

〃Okay。　Then　to　when　did　they　send　it？〃

Harry　shrugged。　〃No　information　yet；〃　he　said。

That　diffidence　again；　Norman　thought。　What　was　Harry　really　thinking？

〃Well；　this　craft　is　half　a　mile　long；〃　Barnes　said。　〃We　have　a　lot　more　to　see。〃

〃I　wonder　if　they　had　a　flight　recorder；〃　Norman　said。

〃You　mean　like　a　mercial　airliner？〃

〃Yes。　Something　to　record　the　activity　of　the　ship　on　its　voyage。〃

〃They　must　have；〃　Harry　said。　〃Trace　the　dummy　cable　back；　youre　sure　to　find　it。　Id　like　to　see