第11部分(第1/7 頁)

〃All　right；〃　Harry　said。　〃It's　an　American　spacecraft。〃

〃An　American　spacecraft？　Half　a　mile　long？　Made　with　technology　we　don't　have　yet？　And　buried　for　three　hundred　years？〃

〃Of　course；〃　Harry　said。　〃It's　been　obvious　from　the　start。　Right；　Captain　Barnes？〃

〃We　had　considered　it；〃　Barnes　admitted。　〃The　President　had　considered　it。〃

〃That's　why　you　didn't　inform　the　Russians。〃

〃Exactly。〃

By　now　Ted　was　pletely　frustrated。　He　clenched　his　fists；　as　if　he　wanted　to　hit　someone。　He　looked　from　one　person　to　another。　〃But　how　did　you　know？〃

〃The　first　clue；〃　Harry　said；　〃came　from　the　condition　of　the　craft　itself。　It　shows　no　damage　whatever。　Its　condition　is　pristine。　Yet　any　spacecraft　that　crashes　in　water　will　be　damaged。　Even　at　low　entry　velocities…say　two　hundred　miles　an　hour…the　surface　of　water　is　as　hard　as　concrete。　No　matter　how　strong　this　craft　is；　you　would　expect　some　degree　of　damage　from　the　impact　with　the　water。　Yet　it　has　no　damage。〃

〃Meaning？〃

〃Meaning　it　didn't　land　in　the　water。〃

〃I　don't　understand。　It　must　have　flown　here…〃

〃…It　didn't　fly　here。　It　arrived　here。〃

〃From　where？〃

＇＇67＇＇　〃From　the　future；〃　Harry　said。　〃This　is　some　kind　of　Earth　craft　that　was…will　be…made　in　the　future；　and　has　traveled　backward　in　time；　and　appeared　under　our　ocean；　several　hundred　years　ago。〃

〃Why　would　people　in　the　future　do　that？〃　Ted　groaned。　He　was　clearly　unhappy　to　be　deprived　of　his　alien　craft；　his　great　historical　moment。　He　slumped　in　a　chair　and　stared　dully　at　the　monitor　screens。

〃I　don't　know　why　people　in　the　future　would　do　that；〃　Harry　said。　〃We're　not　there　yet。　Maybe　it　was　an　accident。　Unintended。〃

〃Let's　go　ahead　and　open　it　up