Space Odyssey: The Collection by Arthur C. Clarke

Author:Arthur C. Clarke [Clarke, Arthur C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Novela, Ciencia ficción
Publisher: ePubLibre
Published: 1968-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“And do you recognize them?”

“Yes. They are identical in size and shape to the object you refer to as Big Brother. Ten minutes to ignition. All systems nominal.”

Mine aren’t, thought Curnow. So the damn thing’s gone down to Jupiter—and multiplied. There was something simultaneously comic and sinister about a plague of black monoliths; and to his puzzled surprise, that incredible image on the monitor screen had a certain weird familiarity.

Of course—that was it! Those myriad identical black rectangles reminded him of—dominoes. Years ago, he had seen a videodocumentary showing how a team of slightly crazy Japanese had patiently stood a million dominoes on end, so that when the very first one was toppled, all the others would inevitably follow. They had been arranged in complex patterns, some underwater, some up and down little stairways, others along multiple tracks so that they formed pictures and patterns as they fell. It had taken weeks to set them up; Curnow remembered now that earthquakes had several times foiled the enterprise, and the final toppling, from first domino to the last, had taken more than an hour.

“Eight minutes to ignition. All systems nominal. Dr. Chandra—may I make a suggestion?”

“What is it, Hal?”

“This is a very unusual phenomenon. Do you not think I should abort the countdown, so that you can remain to study it?”

Aboard Leonov, Floyd started to move quickly toward the bridge. Tanya and Vasili might be needing him. Not to mention Chandra and Curnow—what a situation! And suppose Chandra took Hal’s side? If he did—they might both be right! After all, was this not the very reason they had come here?

If they stopped the countdown, the ships would loop around Jupiter and be back at precisely the same spot in nineteen hours. A nineteen-hour hold would create no problems; if it was not for that enigmatic warning, he would have strongly recommended it himself.

But now they had very much more than a warning. Below them was a planetary plague spreading across the face of Jupiter. Perhaps they were indeed running away from the most extraordinary phenomenon in the history of science. Even so, he preferred to study it from a safer distance.

“Six minutes to ignition,” said Hal. “All systems nominal. I am ready to stop the countdown if you agree. Let me remind you that my prime directive is to study everything in Jupiter space that may be connected with intelligence.”

Floyd recognized that phrase all too well: he had written it himself. He wished he could delete it from Hal’s memory.

A moment later, he had reached the bridge and joined the Orlovs. They both looked at him with alarmed concern.

“What do you recommend?” asked Tanya swiftly.

“It’s up to Chandra, I’m afraid. Can I speak to him—on the private line.”

Vasili handed over the microphone.

“Chandra? I assume that Hal can’t hear this?”

“Correct, Dr. Floyd.”

“You’ve got to talk quickly. Persuade him that the countdown must continue, that we appreciate his—er, scientific enthusiasm—ah, that’s the right angle—say we’re confident that he can do the job without our help.

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