jefflong.yearzero-第19节

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opical　breeze。　Midway　through　the　air　lock；　he　recognized　a　simple　ultraviolet…ray　gate。　It　bathed　each　visitor　with　a　low…level　wash　of　radiation　to　kill　external　microbes　on　their　clothing　and　skin。
　〃The　delivery　chamber；〃　said　Cavendish。　The　far　door　slid　open。
　It　was　like　emerging　beneath　the　sea。　The　room　was　a　virtual　cavern；　thirty　feet　high；　glimmering　with　aquamarine　light。　Two　of　the　walls　were　honeybed　with　work　stations　that　had　their　own　sets　of　ladders　and　catwalks。　A　third　wall　held　a　row　of　glassed…off　offices；　like　sky　boxes　at　a　stadium。　In　the　center　stood　a　large；　spherical　aquarium　tank　of　glass　ribbed　with　metal。　The　air　was　filled　with　a　rhythmic　beating。
　〃This　is　the　final　stage　of　our　artificial　womb　process；〃　Cavendish　explained。　〃That　sound　you　hear　es　from　a　fetal　heart　monitor。〃
　Immediately　Abbot　began　assembling　the　clues。　He　timed　the　heartbeat；　and　if　it　was　human；　it　was　not　infant。　The　water　was　brilliant　blue。　Synthetic　amniotic　fluid；　he　guessed。　Three　men　and　a　tall　woman　in　no…nonsense　swimsuits　were　adjusting　their　face　masks　and　scuba　gear　up　on　the　deck　overlooking　the　water。　Something　was　about　to　be　born。
　Golding　was　flabbergasted。　〃How　did　you　e　by　all　this？〃　she　demanded。　〃There　was　nothing　like　this　in　the　budget。〃
　〃My　scrounger　discovered　most　of　it　in　the　other　lab　buildings；〃　said　Cavendish。　〃We　had　some　things　the　other　labs　wanted。　It　was　a　straight　exchange。　No　money　involved。　No　paperwork。　It　doesn't　appear　in　the　budget。〃
　〃Your　scrounger？〃
　〃Acquisitions　specialist；　if　you　will。　I've　used　him　before。　He's　knocking　around　here　somewhere；　a　big　fellow；　very　resourceful。　I　decided　to　bring　him　on　board。〃
　〃This　isn't　a　pirate　ship；〃　said　Golding。　〃Just　what　is　going　on　here？〃
　〃Making　do；　Doctor；〃　Cavendish　answered。　〃Making　do。〃
　An　assistant　hurried　forward　with　a　folded　EKG　readout　marked　with　pencils　and　red　and　blue　ink。　Cavendish　let　the　folds　spill　across　his　lap　and　the　puter　console。　〃We're　in　target　range；〃　he　declared　to　Abbot　and　Golding。　〃If　you'll　join　the　others；　we're　about　to　begin。〃
　They　crossed　a　steel…grate　bridge　and　joined　the　others　at　viewing　stations　midway　up　the　aquarium　wall。　Blue　light　rippled　across　Elise's　face。　They　heard　a　splash　above。　One　of　the　divers　appeared　in　a　burst　of　white　bubbles　and　long　thighs。　〃She　could　be　her　mother；〃　said　Elise。　With　a　start；　Abbot　recognized　Miranda。
　The　other　divers　joined　her。　They　floated　in　a　circle；　heads　up；　waiting。　In　a　minute；　a　Plexiglas　box　the　size　of　a　small　telephone　booth　was　lowered　into　the　water。　The　divers　converged　and　quickly　opened　the　box　to　reveal　an　opaque；　veined　sac。　The　sac　had　a　limp　coil　of　cable　or　cord　attached。
　Their　fins　feathering　the　water；　the　divers　each　cradled　a　side　of　the　sac。　They　were　vigilant　of　the　colored　wires　leading　up　to　the　surface。　One　was　the　fetal　monitor；　Abbot　judged；　the　rest　read　other　vital　signs。
　Then　he　saw　what　lay　curled　inside　the　sac。　Elise　groaned。
　Candled　by　underwater　lights；　the　hunched；　curled　silhouette　almost　resembled　the　Thinker。　Anticipation　crackled　among　the　scientists。　They　were　looking　at　a　free…floating　womb。　The　organ　pulsed。
　But　to　Abbot's　eye；　the　figure　in　the　sac　looked　too　large。　Flexed　in　its　fetal　curl；　it　was　easily　the　size　of　the　divers　hovering　about。　Even　the　Neandertal　infant　had　been　just　a　quarter　this　size。　Had　they　created　a　giant？
　〃Cavendish！〃　an　outraged　voice　came　from　their　ranks。　〃Where　are　you；　by　god！〃
　〃Here；〃　said　Cavendish。　〃I'm　still　with　you。〃
　They　looked　up。　He　had　backed　onto　a　small　lift　and　now　sat　above　them　beside　the　tank。　His　face　was　lit　green　by　his　puter　screen。　〃Thirteen　weeks　ago；　a　cloned　embryo　was　implanted　in　the　synthetic　womb　you　now　see　suspended　in　our　birthing　tank。〃　He　spoke　swiftly　and　clearly。　No　Q　&　A　allowed。　He　was　racing　that　heartbeat。
　Thirteen　weeks！thought　Abbot。From　conception　to　birth；　just　three　months？　Then　he　thought；Miranda。　He　remembered　her　little　monster　Winston；　born　in　a　state　of　full　maturity。
　〃Our　womb　represents　a　revolutionary　advance；〃　Cavendish　continued。　〃The　sac　is　built　from　nylon　for　tensile　strength　and　from　the　embryo's　own　DNA。　As　the　fetus　grew；　so　did　the　womb。　The　umbilicus　is　made　of　embryonic　DNA　rebined　with　the　genes　for　spider　silk；　which　allowed　for　the　attachment　of　a　plastic　tube。　Throughout　gestation；　nutrients…again；　grown　from　the　embryo's　own　stem　cell　material…have　been　fed　through　the　cord；　which　was　also　connected　to　an　ordinary　heart　machine。　That　oxygenated　the　blood　and　carried　away　impurities。　The　fetal　environment　was　maintained　at　98。6　degrees　Fahrenheit。〃
　His　audience　was　not　pleased。　〃The　bastard's　gone　and　done　it；〃　a　man　grunted。
　〃But　thirteen　weeks？〃　They　were　still　baffled。　It　was　clearly　human；　and　yet　not　possibly　human。
　Cavendish　ignored　the　hubbub。　〃His　birth…it's　a　boy；　I'll　spoil　the　surprise…was　timed　for　your　participation。　I'm　pleased　to　announce　that　his　time　has　e。〃
　〃Stop；〃　a　voice　shouted。　〃Stop　before　you　start；　by　god。〃　The　crowd　parted。　Sir　Benjamin　Barnes　was　a　reedy；　old　Brit　supported　by　a　briar…wood　cane。　One　of　the　fathers　of　DNA　science；　he　had　used　his　Nobel　to　create　a　personal　fortune；　bed　international　beauties；　and　generally　sabotage　those　trying　to　follow　in　his　footsteps。　〃This　freak　show　of　yours　will　be　our　ruin。　The　rabble；　you　have　no　idea。。。。〃
　Cavendish　maintained　his　Mona　Lisa　smile。　He　let　the　old　man　finish。
　〃If　you　had　been　properly　trained；　sir；〃　Barnes　said；　〃you　would　know　that　science　is　a　slow；　quiet；　cautious　thing。　It　is　necessary　to　give　people　time　to　make　sense　of　our　discoveries。　To　digest；　you　see。〃
　Cavendish　cocked　his　head；　listening　to　the　heartbeat。　It　was　growing　faster。　It　contradicted　caution。　〃No　time　for　that；　I'm　afraid；〃　he　said。　〃Unless　you　mean　to　kill　this　innocent　being　with　your　virtues。〃
　Old　Barnes　rapped　his　cane　against　the　floor。　The　rubber　tip　did　not　make　a　sound。　〃That's　coercion。　I　object。　Strenuously　object。〃
　The　heartbeat　quickened。　〃Sir　Benjamin　votes　for　death；　then；〃　Cavendish　said。　〃And　the　rest　of　you？〃
　Abbot　watched　the　brinksmanship。　He　knew　the　oute；　or　thought　he　did。　The　child　would　be　born。　But　not　before　Cavendish　bent　them　to　his　will。　He　was　assaulting　their　hypocrisy。　Human　cloning　was　the　other　shoe　waiting　to　drop。　For　years　people　had　been　pretending　the　shoe　was　in　a　state　of　zero　gravity。　They　had　the　technology；　the　genetic　map；　the　skills。。。but　not　the　daring。
　The　band　of　scientists　stood　silent。　The　heart　drummed　faster　over　the　speakers；　urgent；　profound。　Elise　spoke　up。　〃You've　twisted　nature　inside　out；〃　she　said。
　〃What's　new？〃　Cavendish　replied。　〃Include　yourselves。　It's　what　we　do。〃
　〃It　is　precisely　what　we　do　not　do。　That　is　Sir　Benjamin's　point。〃
　Abbot　waited。　Would　Cavendish　shrug？　Call　them　fools？　He　was　smarter　than　that。　〃As　I　learned　the　story；〃　he　replied　evenly；　〃Prometheus　did　not　ask　the　gods　for　permission　to　borrow　fire。　He　reached　out　his　hand。　And　he　snatched　it　from　them。〃
　〃And　was　punished　for　eternity；〃　Elise　reminded　him。
　〃Yes；　but　he　knew　the　risks。　And　he　took　them；〃　said　Cavendish。　〃And　he　lit　our　darkness。〃
　The　fetal　monitor　beat　at　them。　The　figure　inside　the　sac　had　started　to　struggle　weakly。　Floating　in　the　tank　of　water；　Miranda　ran　her　hand　over　the　sides　as　if　to　soothe　the　unborn　child。
　Elise　resisted　Cavendish。　〃Why？〃　she　said。
　〃To　quote　the　great　Oppenheimer；〃　Cavendish　said；　〃when　you　see　something　that's　technically　sweet；　you　go　ahead　and　do　it。〃
　〃But　what's　the　purpose？〃
　Cavendish　shrugged。　〃Who　knows？　Someone　will　find　one　someday；　I'm　sure。〃
　All　eyes　fixed　on　Elise。　She　was　Cavendish's　boss。　He　had　surrendered　authority　to　her；　but　only　to　force　her　surrender　to　him。
　〃Deliver　the　poor　thing；〃　she　muttered。
　〃As　you　wish。〃　Cavendish　gave　a　single　decisive　tap　at　a　key　on　his　wheelchair's　puter　panel。　It　was　the　signal。
　One　of　the　divers　snipped　the　colored　wires　with　a　pair　of　scissors。　The　heartbeat　fell　silent。　In　the　silence；　they　heard　a　distant　voice　counting　down　to　zero。　The　wires　were　drawn　up　and　out　of　the　water。
　A　scalpel　appeared　in　Miranda's　hand。　She　made　a　careful　incision。　The　sac　opened。　Its　contents　gushed　out　in　a　pinkish　plume。　The　plume　obscured　their　view。　The　other　divers　helped　open　the　incision　as　the　scalpel　moved。　As　they　peeled　away　the　placental　sleeve；　more　organic　debris　floated　outward。　Between　the　divers　and　the　plume；　it　was　impossible　to　see　the　newborn。
　Then　the　clone　drifted　free。　He　began　to　sink　like　a　falling　climber；　upside　down；　the　umbilical　cord　trailing　like　slack　rope。　Abbot　thought　the　scalpel　must　have　slipped；　because　a　long　black　stream　floated　from　the　head。　It　wasn't　blood；　though；　but　hair；　three　or　four　feet　of　it。
　Miranda　kicked　hard　and　dove　lower。　In　slow　motion；　she　opened　her　arms　and　caught　him　from　below。　His　hair　settled　around　her　shoulders。
　This　was　no　infant。　The　clone　opened　his　arms　and　unfolded　his　legs；　and　at　the　end　of　each　limb　was　a　rack　of　curled；　tangled　nails。　He　had　a　beard。　A　whole　lifetime　of　hair　and　nails；　Abbot　realized。　The　clone's　body　hair　was　stark　black　against