the.lost.world-第13部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


hanges。　I'm　talking　about　chronic；　continuous　stress。　Wherever　this　creature　lived；　its　environment　was　extremely　stressful　and　dangerous。〃
　　　　〃I　see。〃
　　　　〃So。　How　e　a　tagged　animal　has　such　a　stressful　life？〃

At　the　entrance　to　the　zoo；　he　looked　around　to　see　if　he　was　being　followed；　then　stopped　at　a　pay　phone　and　dialed　Levine。　The　machine　picked　up；　Levine　wasn't　there。　Typical；　Malcolm　thought。　Whenever　you　needed　him　he　wasn't　there。　Probably　off　trying　to　get　his　Ferrari　out　of　impound　again。
　　　　Malcolm　hung　up；　and　headed　toward　his　car。

Thorne

〃Thorne　Mobile　Field　Systems〃　was　stenciled　in　black　lettering　on　a　large　rolling　metal　garage　door；　at　the　far　end　of　the　Industrial　Park。　There　was　a　regular　door　to　the　left。　Arby　pushed　the　buzzer　on　a　small　box　with　a　grille。　A　gruff　voice　said；　〃Go　away。〃
　　　　〃It's　us；　Dr。　Thorne。　Arby　and　Kelly。〃
　　　　〃Oh。　Okay。〃
　　　　There　was　a　click　as　the　door　unlocked；　and　they　walked　inside。　They　found　themselves　in　a　large　open　shed。　Workmen　were　making　modifications　on　several　vehicles；　the　air　smelled　of　acetylene；　engine　oil；　and　fresh　paint。　Directly　ahead　Kelly　saw　a　dark…green　Ford　Explorer　with　its　roof　cut　open；　two　assistants　stood　on　ladders；　fitting　a　large　flat　panel　of　black　solar　cells　over　the　top　of　the　car。　The　hood　of　the　Explorer　was　up；　and　the　V…6　engine　had　been　pulled　out；　workmen　were　now　lowering　a　small；　new　engine　in　its　place　…it　looked　like　a　rounded　shoebox；　with　the　dull　shine　of　aluminum　alloy。　Others　were　bringing　the　wide；　flat　rectangle　of　the　Hughes　converter　that　would　be　mounted　on　top　of　the　motor。
　　　　Over　to　the　right；　she　saw　the　two　RV　trailers　that　Thorne's　team　had　been　working　on　for　the　last　few　weeks。　They　weren't　the　usual　trailers　you　saw　people　driving　for　the　weekends。　One　was　enormous　and　sleek；　almost　as　big　as　a　bus；　and　outfitted　with　living　and　sleeping　quarters　for　four　people；　as　well　as　all　sorts　of　special　scientific　equipment。　It　was　called　〃Challenger〃　and　it　had　an　unusual　feature：　once　you　parked　it；　the　walls　could　slide　outward；　expanding　the　inside　dimensions。
　　　　The　Challenger　trailer　was　made　to　connect　up　through　a　special　accordion　passageway　to　the　second　trailer；　which　was　somewhat　smaller；　and　was　pulled　by　the　first。　This　second　RV　contained　laboratory　equipment　and　some　very　high…tech　refinements；　though　Kelly　wasn't　sure　exactly　what。　Right　now；　the　second　trailer　was　nearly　hidden　by　the　huge　stream　of　sparks　that　spit　out　from　a　welder　on　the　roof。　Despite　all　the　activity；　the　trailer　looked　mostly　finished…although　she　could　see　people　working　inside；　and　all　the　upholstery；　the　chairs　and　seats；　were　lying　around　on　the　ground　outside。　Thorne　himself　was　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　shouting　at　the　welder　on　the　roof　of　the　camper。　〃e　on；　e　on；　we've　got　to　be　finished　today！　Eddie；　let's　go。〃　He　turned；　shouted　again；　〃No；　no；　no。　Look　at　the　plans！　Henry：　you　can't　place　that　strut　laterally。　It　has　to　be　crosswise；　for　strength。　Look　at　the　plans！〃
　　　　Doc　Thorne　was　a　gray…haired；　barrel…chested　man　of　fifty…five。　Except　for　his　wire…frame　glasses；　he　looked　as　if　he　might　be　a　retired　prizefighter。　It　was　hard　for　Kelly　to　imagine　Thorne　as　a　University　professor；　he　was　immensely　strong；　and　in　continuous　movement。　〃Damn　it；　Henry！　Henry！　Henry；　are　you　listening　to　me？〃
　　　　Thorne　swore　again；　and　shook　his　fist　in　the　air。　He　turned　to　the　kids。　〃These　guys；〃　he　said。　〃They're　supposed　to　be　helping　me。〃　From　the　Explorer；　there　was　a　white…hot　crack　like　lightning。　The　two　men　leaning　into　the　hood　jumped　away；　as　a　cloud　of　acrid　smoke　rose　above　the　car。　〃What'd　I　tell　you？〃　Thorne　shouted。　〃Ground　it！　Ground　it　before　you　do　anything！　We've　got　serious　voltages　here；　guys！　You're　going　to　get　fried　if　you're　not　careful！〃
　　　　He　looked　back　at　the　kids　and　shook　his　head。　〃They　just　don't　get　it；〃　he　said。　〃That　IUD　is　serious　defense。〃
　　　　〃IUD？〃
　　　　〃Internal　Ursine　Deterrent…that's　what　Levine　calls　it。　It's　his　idea　of　a　joke；〃　Thorne　said。　〃Actually；　I　developed　this　system　a　few　years　back　for　park　rangers　in　Yellowstone；　where　bears　break　into　trailers。　Flip　a　switch；　and　you　run　ten　thousand　volts　across　the　outer　skin　of　the　trailer。　Wham…o！　Takes　the　fight　out　of　the　biggest　bear。　But　that　kind　of　voltage'll　blow　these　guys　right　off　the　trailer。　And　then　what？　I　get　a　workmen's…pensation　suit。　For　their　stupidity。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃So？　Where's　Levine？〃
　　　　〃We　don't　know；〃　Arby　said。
　　　　〃What　do　you　mean？　Didn't　he　teach　your　class　today？〃
　　　　〃No；　he　didn't　e。〃
　　　　Thorne　swore　again。　〃Well；　I　need　him　today；　to　go　over　the　final　revisions；　before　we　do　our　field　testing。　He　was　supposed　to　be　back　today。〃
　　　　〃Back　from　where？〃　Kelly　said。
　　　　〃Oh；　he　went　on　one　of　his　field　trips；〃　Thorne　said。　〃Very　excited　about　it；　before　he　went。　I　outfitted　him　myself　…　loaned　him　my　latest　field　pack。　Everything　he　could　ever　want　in　just　forty…seven　pounds。　He　liked　it。　Left　last　Monday；　four　days　ago。〃
　　　　〃For　where？〃
　　　　〃How　should　I　know？〃　Thorne　said。　〃He　wouldn't　tell　me。　And　I　gave　up　asking。　You　know　they're　all　the　same；　now。　Every　scientist　I　deal　with　is　secretive。　But　you　can't　blame　them。　They're　all　afraid　of　being　ripped　off；　or　sued。　The　modern　world。　Last　year　I　built　equipment　for　an　expedition　to　the　Amazon；　we　waterproofed　it　…　which　you'd　want　in　the　Amazon　rain　forest　…　soaking…wet　electronics　just　don't　work　…　and　the　principal　scientist　was　charged　with　misappropriating　funds。　For　waterproofing！　Some　university　bureaucrat　said　it　was　an　unnecessary　expense。　I'm　telling　you；　it's　insane。　Just　insane。　Henry　…　did　you　hear　anything　I　said　to　you？　Put　it　crosswise！〃
　　　　Thorne　strode　across　the　room；　waving　his　arms。　The　kids　followed　behind　him。
　　　　〃But　now；　look　at　this；〃　Thorne　said。　〃For　months　we've　been　mod＇fying　his　field　vehicles；　and　finally　we're　ready。　He　wants　them　light；　I　build　them　light。　He　wants　them　strong；　I　build　them　strong…light　and　strong　both；　why　not；　it's　just　impossible；　what　he's　asking　for；　but　with　enough　titanium　and　honeycarbon　posite；　we're　doing　it　anyway。　He　wants　it　off　petroleum　base；　and　off　the　grid；　and　we　do　that；　too。　So　finally　he's　got　what　he　wanted；　an　immensely　strong　portable　laboratory　to　go　where　there's　no　gasoline　and　no　electricity。　And　now　that　it's　finished　。。。　I　can't　believe　it。　He　really　didn't　show　up　for　your　class？〃
　　　　〃No；〃　Kelly　said。
　　　　〃So　he's　disappeared；〃　Thorne　said。　〃Wonderful。　Perfect。　What　about　our　field　test？　We　were　going　to　take　these　vehicles　out　for　a　week；　and　put　them　through　their　paces。〃
　　　　〃I　know；〃　Kelly　said。　〃We　got　Permission　from　our　parents　and　everything；　so　we　could　go；　too。〃
　　　　〃And　now　he's　not　here；〃　Thorne　fumed。　〃I　suppose　I　should　have　expected　it。　These　rich　kids；　they　do　whatever　they　want。　A　guy　like　Levine　gives　spoiled　a　bad　name。〃
　　　　From　the　ceiling；　a　large　metal　cage　came　crashing　down；　landing　next　to　them　on　the　floor。　Thorne　jumped　aside。　〃Eddie！　Damn！　Will　you　watch　it？〃
　　　　〃Sorry；　Doc；〃　said　Eddie　Carr；　high　up　in　the　rafters。　〃But　specs　are　it　can't　deform　at　twelve　thousand　psi。　We　had　to　test　it。〃
　　　　〃That's　fine；　Eddie。　But　don't　test　it　when　we're　Linder　it！〃　Thorne　bent　to　examine　the　cage；　which　was　circular；　constructed　of　inch…thick　titanium…alloy　bars。　It　had　survived　the　fall　without　harm。　And　it　was　light；　Thorne　lifted　it　upright　with　one　hand。　It　was　about　six　feet　high　and　four　feet　in　diameter。　It　looked　like　an　oversized　bird　cage。　It　had　a　swinging　door；　fitted　with　a　heavy　lock。
　　　　What's　that　for？〃　Arby　asked。
　　　　Actually；〃　Thorne　said；　〃it's　part　of　that〃　He　pointed　I　across　the　room；　where　a　workman　was　putting　together　a　stack　of　telescoping　aluminum　struts。　〃High　observation　platform；　made　to　be　assembled　in　the　field。　Scaffolding　sets　up　into　a　rigid　structure；　about　fifteen　feet　high。　Fitted　with　a　little　shelter　on　top。　Also　collapsible。〃
　　　　〃A　platform　to　observe　what？〃　Arby　said。　Thorne　said；　〃He　didn't　tell　you？〃
　　　　〃No；〃　Kelly　said。
　　　　〃No；〃　Arby　said。
　　　　〃Well；　he　didn't　tell　me；　either；〃　Thorne　said；　shaking　his　head。　〃All　I　know　is　he　wants　everything　immensely　strong。　Light　and　strong；　light　and　strong。　Impossible。〃　He　sighed。　〃God　save　me　from　academics。〃
　　　　〃I　thought　you　were　an　academic；〃　Kelly　said。
　　　　〃Former　academic；〃　Thorne　said　briskly。　〃Now　I　actually　make　things。　I　don't　just　talk。〃

Colleagues　who　knew　Jack　Thorne　agreed　that　retirement　marked　the　happiest　period　in　his　life。　As　a　professor　of　applied　engineering；　and　a　specialist　in　exotic　materials；　he　had　always　demonstrated　a　practical　focus　and　a　love　of　students。　His　most　famous　course　at　Stanford；　Structural　Engineering　101a；　was　known　among　the　students　as　〃Thorny　Problems；〃　because　Thorne　continually　provoked　his　class　to　solve　applied…engineering　challenges　he　set　for　them。　Some　of　these　had　long　since　entered　into　student　folklore。　There　was；　for　example；　the　Toilet　Paper　Disaster：　Thorne　asked　the　students　to　drop　a　carton　of　eggs　from　Hoover　Tower　without　injury。　As　padding；　they　could　only　use　the　cardboard　tubes　at　the　center　of　toilet　paper　rolls。　There　were　spattered　eggs　a