小说园

第16部分（第1页）

〃I　have　a　pretty　good　idea　what　it　was；〃　Harry　said。　〃I　just　cant　believe　that…lets　start。　How　about　entry　event　summary？〃

Beth　pushed　buttons。

On　the　screen；　a　field　of　stars；　and　around　the　edges　of　the　field；　a　lot　of　numbers。　It　was　three…dimensional；　giving　the　illusion　of　depth。

〃Holographic？〃

〃Not　exactly。　But　similar。〃

＇＇100＇＇　〃Several　large…magnitude　stars　there　。。。〃

〃Or　planets。〃

〃What　planets？〃

〃I　dont　know。　This　is　one　for　Ted；〃　Harry　said。　〃He　may　be　able　to　identify　the　image。　Lets　go　on。〃

He　touched　the　console；　the　screen　changed。

〃More　stars。〃

〃Yeah；　and　more　numbers。〃

The　numbers　around　the　edges　of　the　screen　were　flickering；　changing　rapidly。　〃The　stars　dont　seem　to　be　moving；　but　the　numbers　are　changing。〃

〃No；　look。　The　stars　are　moving；　too。〃

They　could　see　that　all　the　stars　were　moving　away　from　the　center　of　the　screen；　which　was　now　black　and　empty。　〃No　stars　in　the　center；　and　everything　moving　away　。。。〃　Harry　said　thoughtfully。

The　stars　on　the　outside　were　moving　very　quickly；　streaking　outward。　The　black　center　was　expanding。

〃Why　is　it　empty　like　that　in　the　center；　Harry？〃　Beth　said。

〃I　dont　think　it　is　empty。〃

〃I　cant　see　anything。〃

〃No；　but　its　not　empty。　In　just　a　minute　we　should　see…There！〃

A　dense　white　cluster　of　stars　suddenly　appeared　in　the　center　of　the　screen。　The　cluster　expanded　as　they　watched。　It　was　a　strange　effect；　Norman　thought。　There　was　still　a　distinct　black　ring　that　expanded　outward；　with　stars　on　the　outside　and　on　the　inside。　It　felt　as　if　they　were　flying　through　a　giant　black　donut。

〃My　God；〃　Harry　said　softly。　〃Do　you　know　what　you　are　looking　at？〃

〃No；〃　Beth　said。　〃Whats　that　cluster　of　stars　in　the　center？〃

〃Its　another　universe。〃

〃Its　what？〃

〃Well；　okay。　Its　probably　another　universe。　Or　it　might　be　a　different　region　of　our　own　universe。　Nobody　really　knows　for　sure。〃

〃Whats　the　black　donut？〃　Norman　said。

＇＇101＇＇　〃Its　not　a　donut。　Its　a　black　hole。　What　you　are　seeing　is　the　recording　made　as　this　spacecraft　went　through　a　black　hole　and　entered　into　another…Is　someone　calling？〃　Harry　turned；　cocked　his　head。　They　fell　silent；　but　heard　nothing。　〃What　do　you　mean；　another　universe…〃

〃…Sssssh。〃

A　short　silence。　And　then　a　faint　voice　crying　〃Hellooo　。。。〃

〃Whos　that？〃　Norman　said；　straining　to　listen。　The　voice　was　so　soft。　But　it　sounded　human。　And　maybe　more　than　one　voice。　It　was　ing　from　somewhere　inside　the　spacecraft。

〃Yoo…hoo！　Anybody　there？　Hellooo。〃

〃Oh；　for　Gods　sake；〃　Beth　said。　〃Its　them；　on　the　monitor。〃

She　turned　up　the　volume　on　the　little　monitor　Edmunds　had　left　behind。　On　the　screen　they　saw　Ted　and　Barnes；　standing　in　a　room　somewhere　and　shouting。　〃Hellooo　。。。　Hel…lo…oooo。〃

〃Can　we　talk　back？〃

〃Yes。　Press　that　button　on　the　side。〃　Norman　said；　〃We　hear　you。〃

〃High　damn　time！〃　Ted。

〃All　right；　now；〃　Barnes　said。　〃Listen　up。〃

〃What　are　you　people　doing　back　there？〃　Ted　said。

〃Listen　up；〃　Barnes　said。　He　stepped　to　one　side；　revealing　a　piece　of　multicolored　equipment。　〃We　now　know　what　this　ship　is　for。〃