Chapter 8 Chapter Eight Through the Hub

Newton never felt such an intimate relationship with Egyptologists.He felt a little like Howe Carter (the 20th-century archaeologist) did when he first peeked at Tutankman's tomb, though the comparison was ludicrously absurd. Tutankman was buried 4,000 years ago, but that seems like only yesterday in the present circumstances - Rama may be older than humans, and the space he will enter is at least older than that tomb. 1 million times larger.As for the wealth that may be contained in it-it is beyond imagination. His partners were all well-trained, and for at least five minutes no one said anything unnecessary on the radio network; when everything went well, Messer gave him an "OK" signal.Everyone seems to realize that this is a moment in history that cannot be distracted by superfluous gossip.Newton also thinks this is in line with his current mood.He turned on the flashlight, activated his jet, and slowly slid forward through the short passage with the safety rope behind him.After only a few seconds, he was already inside.

What kind of "inside" is it?There was absolute darkness all around him, and there were no flickering reflections of the torch beam anywhere it went.He had thought about it, too, but didn't really believe it would.All calculations had indicated that the far wall was tens of kilometers away.Now his own eyes told him it was true.As he slowly slid forward, he suddenly felt the need to check that the safety line was secure. This feeling was stronger than any he had ever experienced before, even his first EVA in space.This is ridiculous.He has visited the infinite space beyond the distance calculated by light years without any hesitation. Why is he so unsure in this countless cubic kilometers of space?

Just as he was thinking, the rope had reached its end, so he pulled him slightly.In vain he shone the torch's probing beam on the empty front, so he had to look again at the surface near him. He seemed to be hovering in the center of a small basket which was no more than a raised ring at the bottom of a much larger basket.On either side of him rose a combination of platforms and ramps—both geometrically accurate and clearly artificial—that stretched as far as the beam could reach.About a hundred meters away, he saw two other gas chamber installations, identical to this one. That's all.Nothing extraterrestrial or unfamiliar phenomenon.In fact, it resembles an abandoned mine.He was disappointed: after so much effort, something dramatic, perhaps even surprising, was expected.At this time, he reminded himself that what he saw was only about 200 meters away, and the darkness beyond his sight might hide a shock greater than what he dared to face.

He briefly reported to his companions who were waiting for his message, adding that I will now send a flare.He threw a small cylindrical tube upwards (or outwards) with all his strength.He immediately started counting the time, and when he counted to 100, he covered his eyes and pointed at the camera.He was always good at timing; two seconds passed and the world was illuminated by flares.This time, he had no reason to be disappointed. Even this 1 million-candle flare could not illuminate the huge void, but it was enough for him to grasp its general appearance and appreciate the huge scale.He was at one end of a cylinder at least ten kilometers wide, of uncertain length.From his position on the central axis, a curved wall surrounds him.What he saw was the horizon of this whole world illuminated by a single flare.He wanted to freeze this vision in his mind.

The platform surrounded him, extending from both sides to meet at the zenith.No, the impression was wrong, he had to let go of the concepts he was familiar with on Earth or in space, and he had to adapt to this new coordinate system. He was not at the lowest point of this strange, inverted world, but at the highest point.From here, all directions are down, not up.If he walked from the central axis to the curved wall, the gravitational force would gradually increase.When reaching the inner surface of the cylinder, at any point he was able to stand upright with his feet towards the stars and his head towards the center of the rotating drum.The concept is fairly familiar; centrifugal force has been used to simulate gravity since the earliest days of spaceflight.But its use in such a large space can be confusing, even shocking.The largest space station, Xinkesa 5, is less than 200 meters in diameter.It takes some getting used to this 100 times larger scale.

This tubular horizon surrounding him, revealed by light and shadow, might be a forest, a plain, a frozen lake, or a town; at a distance, it is difficult to make out because of the weakening of the light.Narrow lines, perhaps roads, canals, or well-built rivers, form a looming topographical network; along the cylinder to the end of the line of sight is a band of deeper darkness.It forms a complete circle around the entire interior of this world.Newton suddenly remembered the legendary ocean surrounding the earth that the ancients once believed in. Or here is an even stranger sea—not a ring, but a cylinder.Did it have waves and tides and fish before the interstellar night froze?

The flares went off, and the momentary display was over.But Newton believed that this impression had solidified in his heart.Whatever else to be discovered in the future cannot detract from this first impression.History can never take away his honor as the first human being to see another completely strange culture.