第16部分(第1/7 頁)

〃I　have　a　pretty　good　idea　what　it　was；〃　Harry　said。　〃I　just　can't　believe　that…let's　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　don't　know。　This　is　one　for　Ted；〃　Harry　said。　〃He　may　be　able　to　identify　the　image。　Let's　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　don't　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　don't　think　it　is　empty。〃

〃I　can't　see　anything。〃

〃No；　but　it's　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？〃