Sphere: a novel by Michael Crichton

Author:Michael Crichton
Language: pt
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Tags: Fiction - Science Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Science Fiction - General, Modern fiction, General
ISBN: 9780345418975
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Published: 1997-06-22T07:00:00+00:00

ALIEN NEGOTIATIONS

“Norman,” Barnes said, “I seem to remember you covered this in your report, didn’t you? The possibility that an alien could read our minds.”

“I mentioned it,” Norman said.

“And what were your recommendations?”

“I didn’t have any. It was just something the State Department asked me to include as a possibility. So I did.”

“You didn’t make any recommendations in your report?”

“No,” Norman said. “To tell you the truth, at the time I thought the idea was a joke.”

“It’s not,” Barnes said. He sat down heavily, stared at the screen. “What the hell are we going to do now?”

DO NOT BE AFRAID.

“That’s fine for him to say, listening to everything we say.” He looked at the screen. “Are you listening to us now, Jerry?”

YES HAL.

“What a mess,” Barnes said.

Ted said, “I think it’s an exciting development.”

Norman said, “Jerry, can you read our minds?”

YES NORMAN.

“Oh brother,” Barnes said. “He can read our minds.”

Maybe not, Norman thought. He frowned, concentrating, and thought, Jerry, can you hear me?

The screen remained blank.

Jerry, tell me your name.

[[194]] The screen did not change.

Maybe a visual image, Norman thought. Perhaps he can receive a visual image. Norman cast around in his mind for something to visualize, chose a sandy tropical beach, then a palm tree. The image of the palm tree was clear, but, then, he thought, Jerry wouldn’t know what a palm tree was. It wouldn’t mean anything to him. Norman thought he should choose something that might be within Jerry’s experience. He decided to imagine a planet with rings, like Saturn. He frowned: Jerry, I am going to send you a picture. Tell me what you see.

He focused his mind on the image of Saturn, a brightyellow sphere with a tilted ring system, hanging in the blackness of space. He sustained the image about ten seconds, and then looked at the screen.

The screen did not change.

Jerry, are you there?

The screen still did not change.

“Jerry, are you there?” Norman said.

YES NORMAN. I AM HERE.

“I don’t think we should talk in this room,” Barnes said. “Maybe if we go into another cylinder, and turn the water on ...”

“Like in the spy movies?”

“It’s worth a try.”

Ted said, “I think we’re being unfair to Jerry. If we feel that he is intruding on our privacy, why don’t we just tell him? Ask him not to intrude?”

I DO NOT WISH TO IN TRUDE.

“Let’s face it,” Barnes said. “This guy knows a lot more about us than we know about him.”

YES I KNOW MANY THINGS ABOUT YOUR ENTITIES.

“Jerry,” Ted said.

YES TED. I AM HERE.

“Please leave us alone.”

I DO NOT WISH TO DO SO. I AM HAPPY TO TALK WITH YOU. I ENJOY TO TALK WITH YOU. LET US TALK NOW. I WISH IT.

“It’s obvious he won’t listen to reason,” Barnes said.

[[195]] “Jerry,” Ted said, “you must leave us alone for a while.”

NO. THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE. I DO NOT AGREE. NO!

“Now the bastard’s showing his true colors,” Barnes said.

The child king, Norman thought. “Let me try.”

“Be my guest.”

“Jerry,” Norman said.

YES NORMAN. I AM HERE.

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