第16部分(第2/7 页)

〃No；〃　Beth　said。　〃What's　that　cluster　of　stars　in　the　center？〃

〃It's　another　universe。〃

〃It's　what？〃

〃Well；　okay。　It's　probably　another　universe。　Or　it　might　be　a　different　region　of　our　own　universe。　Nobody　really　knows　for　sure。〃

〃What's　the　black　donut？〃　Norman　said。

＇＇101＇＇　〃It's　not　a　donut。　It's　a　black　hole。　What　you　are　seeing　is　the　recording　made　as　this　spacecraft　went　through　a　black　hole　and　entered　into　another…Is　someone　calling？〃　Harry　turned；　cocked　his　head。　They　fell　silent；　but　heard　nothing。　〃What　do　you　mean；　another　universe…〃

〃…Sssssh。〃

A　short　silence。　And　then　a　faint　voice　crying　〃Hellooo　。。。〃

〃Who's　that？〃　Norman　said；　straining　to　listen。　The　voice　was　so　soft。　But　it　sounded　human。　And　maybe　more　than　one　voice。　It　was　ing　from　somewhere　inside　the　spacecraft。

〃Yoo…hoo！　Anybody　there？　Hellooo。〃

〃Oh；　for　God's　sake；〃　Beth　said。　〃It's　them；　on　the　monitor。〃

She　turned　up　the　volume　on　the　little　monitor　Edmunds　had　left　behind。　On　the　screen　they　saw　Ted　and　Barnes；　standing　in　a　room　somewhere　and　shouting。　〃Hellooo　。。。　Hel…lo…oooo。〃

〃Can　we　talk　back？〃

〃Yes。　Press　that　button　on　the　side。〃　Norman　said；　〃We　hear　you。〃

〃High　damn　time！〃　Ted。

〃All　right；　now；〃　Barnes　said。　〃Listen　up。〃

〃What　are　you　people　doing　back　there？〃　Ted　said。

〃Listen　up；〃　Barnes　said。　He　stepped　to　one　side；　revealing　a　piece　of　multicolored　equipment。　〃We　now　know　what　this　ship　is　for。〃

〃So　do　we；〃　Harry　said。

〃We　do？〃　Beth　and　Norman　said　together。

But　Barnes　wasn't　listening。　〃And　the　ship　seems　to　have　picked　up　something　on　its　travels。〃

〃Picked　up　something？　What　is　it？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　Barnes　said。　〃But