p&c.icelimit-第46部分

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　〃Read　the　rest。　Then　you　can　go。〃　Amira　blinked；　licked　her　lips。　She　stood　her　ground。
　He　held　her　gaze　for　a　minute；　perhaps　two。　Then　he　turned；　reached　for　the　rest　of　the　report；　and　read。
　As　it　happens；　I　agree　with　him。　The　evidence　is　strong；　if　not　irrefutable；　that　this　meteorite　came　from　far　beyond　the　solar　system。　Sam's　theory　has　been　vindicated。　Furthermore；　I　see　no　evidence　of　obsession　in　Sam；　or　anything　else　that　could　pose　a　threat　to　the　expedition。　Just　the　opposite：　the　meteorite　seems　to　be　awakening　the　scientist　in　him。　I've　seen　less　of　the　sarcastic；　defensive；　and　sometimes　mercenary　side　of　him　that　was　so　evident　in　the　beginning；　this　has　been　replaced　by　a　voracious　curiosity；　a　profound　desire　to　understand　this　bizarre　rock。
　And　so　this　will　be　my　third；　and　final；　report。　I　can't　in　good　conscience　continue　to　provide　these　reports。　If　I　sense　problems；　I'll　report　them。　I'd　do　that　in　any　case　as　a　loyal　EES　employee。　The　fact　is；　this　meteorite　is　stranger　than　any　of　us　could　have　possibly　foreseen。　It　may　even　be　dangerous。　I　can't　both　watch　him　and　work　with　him。　You　asked　me　to　be　Sam's　assistant。　And　that's　just　what　I　plan　to　be　…　for　his　good；　my　good；　and　the　good　of　the　mission。
　
　McFarlane　pulled　the　chair　away　from　the　puter　table　and　eased　down　into　it；　the　paper　crackling　in　his　hand。　He　felt　his　anger　draining　away；　leaving　a　confused　welter　of　feelings。
　For　what　seemed　like　a　long　time；　neither　one　spoke。　McFarlane　could　hear　the　distant　rush　of　water；　feel　the　faint　thrumming　of　the　engines。　Then　he　looked　up　at　her。
　〃It　was　Eli's　idea；〃　she　said。　〃You　were　Lloyd's　man；　not　his。　You　had　a　questionable　history。　And　at　that　first　meeting；　that　thing　with　the　sandwich；　you　showed　yourself　to　be　a　bit　unpredictable。　Unpredictable　people　make　him　nervous。　So　he　told　me　to　keep　an　eye　on　you。　Write　regular　reports。
　McFarlane　sat；　watching　her　in　silence。
　〃I　didn't　like　the　idea。　At　first　it　was　being　your　assistant　that　really　got　to　me　most；　though。　I　just　thought　the　reports　would　be　a　pain。　But　I　had　no　idea　…　no　idea　…　how　hard　they　would　actually　be。　I　felt　like　a　real　shit　every　time　I　sat　down　to　write　one。〃　She　sighed　deeply；　a　catch　sounding　in　her　throat。　〃These　last　couple　of　days。。。　I　don't　know。〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃And　then；　writing　this　one。。。　I　just　realized　I　couldn't　do　it　anymore。　Not　even　for　him。〃
　She　abruptly　fell　silent。　She　dropped　her　eyes　from　his　face　to　the　carpet。　Despite　her　efforts；　he　saw　her　chin　tremble。　A　single　tear　charted　an　erratic　course　down　her　cheek。
　Quickly；　McFarlane　rose　from　his　chair　and　came　to　her。　He　drew　the　tear　away。　She　put　her　hands　around　his　neck　and　drew　him　toward　her；　burying　her　face　in　his　neck。
　〃Oh；　Sam；〃　she　whispered。　〃I'm　so　sorry。〃
　〃It's　all　right。〃
　A　second　tear　began　to　furrow　down　her　cheek。　He　bent　to　brush　it　away；　but　she　turned　her　face　to　meet　his　and　their　lips　joined　instead。
　With　a　soft　moan；　she　pulled　him　more　tightly　to　her。　McFarlane；　drawn　forward　over　the　sofa；　felt　the　pressure　of　her　breasts　against　him；　felt　her　calves　sliding　past　his　hips。　For　a　moment；　he　hesitated。　Then　he　felt　her　hands　tease　the　back　of　his　neck　and　her　thighs　lock　around　him；　and　he　yielded　to　a　flood　of　passion。　He　slid　his　hands　beneath　her　dress　and　pulled　her　to　him；　raising　her　legs；　pressing　the　palms　of　his　hands　against　the　insides　of　her　knees。　He　kissed　her　ardently　as　her　hands　traced　caressing　lines　down　his　back。
　〃Oh；　Sam；〃　she　said　again。　And　then　she　pressed　her　mouth　to　his。
　
　Isla　Desolacion；
　July　19；　11：30　A。M。
　
　MCFARLANE　EYED　the　towers　of　black　lava　that　reared　before　him。　The　immense　fangs　were　even　more　impressive　close　up。　Geologically；　he　recognized　them　as　classic　〃volcanic　plugs〃　…　the　remnants　of　a　twin　volcano；　in　which　the　slopes　had　eroded　away；　leaving　behind　the　two　basalt…filled　throats。
　He　turned　around；　glancing　over　his　shoulder。　Several　miles　behind　and　far　below　them；　the　landing　area　was　a　sprinkling　of　black　dots　on　a　white　landscape；　threadlike　roads　leading　away　across　the　island。　In　the　wake　of　Rochefort's　and　Evans's　deaths；　recovery　work　had　resumed　immediately。　It　was　being　directed　by　Garza　and　the　second　engineer；　Stonecipher；　a　humorless　man　who　seemed　to　have　inherited　Rochefort's　personality　along　with　his　duties。
　Rachel　Amira　came　up　beside　him；　her　breath　frosty。　She　gazed　up　at　the　peaks；　frowning。　〃How　far　do　we　have　to　go？〃
　〃I　want　to　reach　that　stripe　of　darker　material　about　halfway　up。　That's　probably　a　remnant　of　the　last　eruption；　so　we'd　want　to　use　that　to　date　the　flow。〃
　〃No　problem；〃　she　said；　rattling　her　gear　with　a　show　of　bravado。
　She　had　been　in　high　spirits　since　meeting　up　for　the　climb；　speaking　little　but　humming　and　whistling　to　herself。　McFarlane；　on　the　other　hand；　felt　restless；　impatient。
　His　eyes　traveled　up　the　possible　routes；　looking　for　obstacles；　cornices；　loose　rock。　Then　he　started　off　again；　snowshoes　biting　into　the　freshly　fallen　snow。　They　moved　slowly；　hiking　up　the　talus　slope。　Near　the　base　of　the　plug；　McFarlane　stopped　at　an　unusual　rock　that　poked　out　from　the　snow。　He　gave　it　a　sharp　rap　with　his　rock　hammer；　slipped　two　chips　into　his　sample　pouch；　and　jotted　a　quick　note。
　〃Playing　with　rocks；〃　said　Rachel。　〃How　like　a　boy。〃
　〃That's　why　I　became　a　planetary　geologist。〃
　〃Bet　you　had　a　rock　collection　as　a　kid。〃
　〃Actually；　no。　What　did　you　collect？　Barbie　dolls？〃
　Rachel　snorted。　〃I　had　a　rather　eclectic　collection。　Bird's　nests；　snakeskins；　dried　tarantulas；　bones；　butterflies；　scorpions；　a　dead　owl；　unusual　roadkill　…　that　sort　of　thing。〃
　〃Dried　tarantulas？〃　
　〃Yeah。　I　grew　up　in　Portal；　Arizona；　at　the　foot　of　the　Chiricahua　Mountains。　In　the　fall；　the　big　male　tarantulas　would　e　out　onto　the　roads；　looking　to　get　laid。　I　had　about　thirty　of　them；　mounted　on　a　board。　Goddamn　dog　ate　my　whole　collection　one　day。〃
　〃Did　the　dog　die？〃
　〃Unfortunately；　no。　She　threw　them　up　all　over　my　mom's　bed；　though。　In　the　middle　of　the　night。　That　was　pretty　funny。〃　She　giggled　at　the　recollection。
　They　paused。　The　slope　beyond　grew　steeper。　Here　the　constant　wind　had　given　the　snow　a　thick　crust。
　〃Let's　ditch　the　snowshoes；〃　McFarlane　said。
　Despite　the　subzero　weather；　he　felt　overheated　and　tugged　down　the　zipper　of　his　parka。　〃We'll　head　for　the　saddle　between　the　two　peaks；〃　he　said；　fitting　crampons　to　his　boots　and　moving　forward　again。　〃What　kind　of　roadkill？〃
　〃Herps；　mostly。〃
　〃Herps？〃
　〃Herpetological　specimens。　Amphibians　and　reptiles。〃
　〃Why？〃
　Rachel　smiled。　〃Because　they　were　interesting。　Dry；　flat　easy　to　sort　and　store。　I　had　some　pretty　unusual　species。〃
　〃I　bet　your　mom　loved　that。〃
　〃She　didn't　know　about　it。〃
　They　lapsed　into　silence；　their　breath　leaving　white　trails　behind　them。　A　few　minutes　brought　them　to　the　saddle；　and　McFarlane　stopped　for　another　rest。　〃Three　weeks　on　that　damn　ship　has　put　me　out　of　shape；〃　he　gasped。
　〃You　did　all　right　last　night；　mister。〃　A　grin　began　to　spread　across　her　face。　Then　she　suddenly　flushed；　turning　her　face　away。
　He　did　not　respond。　Rachel　had　been　a　good　partner；　and　he　felt　that　he　could　trust　her　now；　despite　the　duplicity。　But　what　had　happened　last　night　was　an　unexpected　plication。　The　last　thing　he　wanted　now　were　plications。
　They　rested　for　a　few　minutes；　sharing　a　canteen　of　water。　Far　to　the　west；　McFarlane　could　see　a　dark　streak　lying　across　the　horizon：　a　harbinger　of　the　storm。
　〃You　seem　different　from　the　rest　of　Glinn's　team；〃　he　said。　〃Why's　that？〃
　〃I　am　different。　That's　no　accident。　Everyone　at　EES　is　super　cautious；　including　Glinn。　He　needed　somebody　who　took　risks。　And；　in　case　you　hadn't　noticed；　I'm　brilliant。〃
　〃I　had　noticed；〃　said　McFarlane；　taking　out　a　candy　and　handing　it　to　her。
　They　chewed　in　silence。　Then　McFarlane　stuffed　the　empty　wrappers　back　into　the　pack　and　swung　it　over　his　shoulder；　casting　an　appraising　eye　at　the　slope　above　them。
　〃It　looks　a　little　tricky　from　here。　I'll　go　…　〃
　But　Rachel　already　began　scrambling　up　the　icy　snowfield　ahead　of　him。　It　rose　to　the　bottom　of　the　rock；　getting　bluer　…　icier　…　as　it　became　steeper。
　〃Take　it　easy；〃　he　called　up；　looking　out　from　the　face。　The　view　out　over　the　rugged　islands　of　the　Horn　group　was　spectacular。　Far　beyond；　over　the　horizon；　he　could　just　see　the　tops　of　the　Fuegian　mountains。　The　Rolvaag；　for　all　its　bulk；　looked　like　a　child's　bathtub　toy　in　the　black　water　of　the　bay。　The　destroyer　could　just　be　seen；　mostly　hidden　by　a　rugged　island。　At　the　limit　of　vision；　he　could　see　the　line　of　storm　eating　into　the　crystalline　sky。
　Looking　back　up；　he　was　alarmed　to　see　how　quickly　Rachel　had　climbed。　〃Slow　down！〃　he　called；　more　urgently　this　time。　
　〃Slowpoke！〃　was　the　taunting　reply。
　And　then　a　rock　clattered　past；　followed　by　another；　larger；　inches　from　his　ear。　With　a　crumpling　sound；　a　small　part　of　the　talus　slope　slid　away　from　Rachel's　feet；　exposing　a　dark　scar　beneath　the　snow。　She　dropped　heavily　onto　her　stomach；　legs　dangling　into　space。　A　strangle　of　fear　escaped　her　as　she　twisted；　scrabbling　for　a　purchase。