第6部分(第2/7 頁)

〃By　June　24；　the　Navy　had　the　ROV　carrier　Neptune　IV　on　site；　and　the　Remote　Operated　Vehicle　Scorpion；　which　you　see　here；　was　sent　down　to　photograph　the　wing。　It　returned　an　image　that　clearly　showed　a　control　surface　of　some　sort。　Here　it　is。〃

There　were　murmurs　from　the　group。　In　a　harshly　lit　color　image；　a　gray　fin　stuck　up　from　a　flat　coral　floor。　The　fin　was　sharp…edged　and　aeronautical…looking；　tapered；　definitely　artificial。

〃You'll　notice；〃　Barnes　said；　〃that　the　sea　bottom　in　this　region　consists　of　scrubby　dead　coral。　The　wing　or　fin　disappears　into　the　coral；　suggesting　the　rest　of　the　aircraft　might　be　buried　beneath。　An　ultra…high…resolution　SLS　bottom　scan　was　carried　out；　to　detect　the　shape　underneath　the　coral。　Next。〃

＇＇33＇＇　Another　color　sonar　image；　posed　of　fine　dots　instead　of　lines。

〃As　you　see；　the　fin　seems　to　be　attached　to　a　cylindrical　object　buried　under　the　coral。　The　object　has　a　diameter　of　a　hundred　and　ninety　feet；　and　extends　west　for　a　distance　of　2；754　feet　before　tapering　to　a　point。〃

More　murmurings　from　the　audience。

〃That's　correct；〃　Barnes　said。　〃The　cylindrical　object　is　half　a　mile　long。　The　shape　is　consistent　with　a　rocket　or　spacecraft…it　certainly　looks　like　that…but　from　the　beginning　we　were　careful　to　refer　to　this　object　as　'the　anomaly。'　〃

Norman　glanced　over　at　Ted；　who　was　smiling　up　at　the　screen。　But　alongside　Ted　in　the　darkness；　Harry　Adams　frowned　and　pushed　his　glasses　up　on　his　nose。

Then　the　projector　light　went　out。　The　room　was　plunged　into　darkness。　There　were　groans。　Norman　heard　Barnes　say；　〃God　damn　it；　not　again！〃　Someone　scrambled　for　the　door；　there　was　a　rectangle　of　light。

Beth　leaned　over　to　Norman　and　said；　〃They　lose　power　h